2026 Tuscany PreviewBY ANTONIO GALLONI | APRIL 2, 2026Spring is a time of renewal. Vines are awaking from their
winter dormancy while new releases start appearing in the market at a rapid
pace. This report looks at some of the year’s most anticipated releases, along
with some newer projects, with an emphasis on the Tuscan Coast. Full coverage
will follow later in the year.Recent VintagesI will have more to say about recent vintages as we publish our
regional reports. Vintages 2024, 2023 and 2022 all presented challenges. Beyond
that, so many estates have now entered a new generation of ownership.
Separating vintage characteristics from decisions producers take in response to
weather conditions from broader stylistic changes is a complicated task. This
is especially true on the Tuscan Coast, where the move to make wines of greater
freshness and finesse than those of the past is a recent development. Moreover, numbers and data with regard to harvest dates,
rainfall, heat summation and other statistics that are increasingly bandied
about never tell the full story. For example, in 2023, Antinori recorded 120 mm
of rain at Tignanello in August and September compared to 92 mm at their Guado
al Tasso property in Bolgheri. Tignanello is hilly, while Guado al Tasso is
flat. Beyond that, when rain falls at a very heavy rate, water does not
penetrate the soil. Instead, it runs off the land anywhere where there is some
sort of incline. Data always requires interpretation. The final analysis of any
vintage ultimately comes down to evaluating each wine with care and attention.2024: Let it Rain









The growing season started much like 2023, with
a warm winter and plenty of rain in the spring. If there is a positive, it is
that after 2023, producers were better equipped to deal with disease pressure.
Producers reported a wide range of conditions for the summer months, but one
theme is a constant: uneven ripening. Rain again at the end of summer
accelerated picking decisions. The 2024 reds I have tasted so far, all
entry-level bottlings, are aromatic and svelte, but also quite pleasant. The
restrained style is sure to please a broad group of consumers who appreciate
lighter reds. It will be very interesting to see how producers interpreted the
year in their flagship bottlings. At this stage, I am cautiously optimistic.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1775139474623-Tuscany+Preview_Vinous.jpg">Tenuta San Guido’s vineyards in Castiglioncello, the most
historic and highest-elevation vineyards that form the core of the flagship
Sassicaia.2023: Ups and DownsThe 2023 growing season made headlines for the heavy rains
that poured during the early part of the year and into the summer. Producers
faced significant challenges in the vineyard, including elevated disease
pressure and wet soils that made entering the vineyards with tractors
impossible for long stretches. Peronospora (downy mildew) outbreaks were
far more widespread and severe than anything most producers had ever seen.
Well-drained vineyards (which often translates into hillside sites) clearly
fared best. Certain pockets were less affected by rain than others. Conditions then
changed markedly, especially in September and into October, both of which were
extremely hot. The wines I have tasted so far are quite successful,
although I add that most of those bottles represent the pinnacle of quality.
Even so, the best 2023s feature gorgeous forward fruit and fine balance.
Structurally, the wines are a bit lighter than those of truly great vintages,
such as 2021, but in exchange, the 2023s offer a great deal of immediacy and
pure pleasure. Not all vintages can be great, and not all wines should garner
extremely high scores. As of this writing, I see 2023 as stronger across the
board than 2022, but without the layers, complexity or structure of the very
finest years. 







I tasted all the wines in this report in our New
York City offices between February and March 2026.© 2026, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2025-tuscany-preview-feb-2025">2025 Tuscany Preview</a>, Antonio Galloni, February 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/chianti-classico-riding-out-the-storm-jul-2025">Chianti Classico: Riding Out the Storm</a>, Antonio Galloni, July 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/new-releases-from-the-tuscan-maremma-dec-2024">New Releases from the Tuscan Maremma</a>, Antonio Galloni, December 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2024-tuscany-preview-feb-2024">2024 Tuscany Preview</a>, Antonio Galloni, February 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/exploring-new-releases-from-coastal-tuscany-aug-2023">Exploring New Releases from Coastal Tuscany</a>, Antonio Galloni, August 2023

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