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tuscany umbria travel guide attractions eating drinking shopping places toOur payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Please try again.Please try again.Please try again. Come to Tuscany to see the historic Renaissance artwork in Florence, to eat fine Tuscan cuisine and to drink the excellent red wine. Umbria is in Italy’s green centre between Tuscany, La Marche and Lazio. This small landlocked region has less than a million inhabitants but is proud of its historic cities which include Perugia, Orvieto and Assisi. Umbria has ancient hilltop towns with a rich artistic and architectural heritage. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Videos Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video. Upload video To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Please try again later. Kristi 2.0 out of 5 stars The font is huge so with normal font sizes this would easily be a 40 page book. Please try again.Please try again.Please try again. Come to Tuscany to see the historic Renaissance artwork in Florence, to eat fine Tuscan cuisine and to drink the excellent red wine. Publisher Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. Come to Tuscany to see the historic Renaissance artwork in Florence, to eat fine Tuscan cuisine and to drink the excellent red wine. Umbria is in Italy's green centre between Tuscany, La Marche and Lazio. Umbria has ancient hilltop towns with a rich artistic and architectural heritage.http://ganteltechnology.com/system/userfiles/brother-ls2125i-instruction-manual.xml
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Product Identifiers Publisher CreateSpace ISBN-10 1500344192 ISBN-13 9781500344191 eBay Product ID (ePID) 201570384 Product Key Features Format Trade Paperback Language English Publication Year 2014 Genre Travel Number of Pages 80 Pages Dimensions Item Length 9in. Verisign. Umbria has ancient hilltop towns with a rich artistic and architectural heritage. Condition: New. Language: English. Brand new Book. Tuscany on Italy's west coast is located in the Tyrrhenian sea and is one of the most popular places in the country. Umbria has ancient hilltop towns with a rich artistic and architectural heritage.All Rights Reserved. You can remove the unavailable item(s) now or we'll automatically remove it at Checkout. Choose your country's store to see books available for purchase. Come to Tuscany to see the historic Renaissance artwork in Florence, to eat fine Tuscan cuisine and to drink the excellent red wine. Umbria has ancient hilltop towns with a rich artistic and architectural heritage. Choose your country's store to see books available for purchase. We appreciate your feedback. We'll publish them on our site once we've reviewed them. You need a United States address to shop on our United States store. Go to our Russia store to continue. Centro Storico 383 Historic Walking Areas By Estueban Narrow streets, flowers of all kind, ancient brick houses, art and history everywhere. 12. Minimetro 1,774 Public Transportation Systems Open now By nandiinindia It was also useful for getting between the bus stop (Fontivegge- ie the Perugia train station ) and the hotel (hooray. 13. La Scarzuola 1,051 Historic Sites By 798AndyH The guide is wonderfully entertaining and takes huge pride in the place. 14. Carsulae - Parco Archeologico 437 Ancient Ruins 15.Fondazione Palazzo Albizzini Collezione Burri 259 Art Museums Temporarily closed 30.http://www.sturmrelocations.de/STURMFILES/brother-ls2125i-sewing-machine-manual.xml The top attractions to visit in Umbria are:The best outdoor activities in Umbria according to Tripadvisor travelers are:The best day trips from Umbria according to Tripadvisor travelers are:The most popular things to do in Umbria with kids according to Tripadvisor travelers are:If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. more. Cosmopolitan, arty, heritage-minded yet forward-looking, Perugia makes a delightful introduction to the region, with easy side trips to Assisi, Gubbio and Lake Trasimeno. Compared with Florence, Perugia feels far less tourism-led. Umbria has often languished in Tuscan’s shadow but is just as lovely as its grander neighbour. Lap up the rolling landscape with hill-towns that look as if they have been there since time immemorial. It is not an illusion: some were founded by the Etruscans and later dedicated to medieval saints. Even if Perugia feels more secular than most of the region, Umbria is the cradle of western monasticism, with St Benedict born in Norcia. Beyond the tourism hotspot of Assisi, the region strikes a near-perfect balance between sustainable tourism and an authentic way of life. From visiting art galleries and people-watching on medieval squares to munching chocolate “kisses,” Perugia offers great variety. The regional capital also makes a superb springboard to exploring several of Umbria’s loveliest cities.The rest is history for the Perugina brand. Eurochocolate, the ten-day October chocolate festival, also makes Perugia a delicious place for all chocolate-lovers. The presence of so many students helps keep restaurant prices down and can make the mood more informal. Along with Umbrian barbecued or roast meats, freshwater fish from nearby Lake Trasimeno may also be on the menu.http://www.raumboerse-luzern.ch/mieten/bosch-gws-20-230-manual The proximity of Norcia, famed for its Umbrian charcuterie, means that cold cuts are to the fore as antipasti, from mortadella to capocollo salami. Spelt from Spoleto, lentils and black truffles from Norcia, beans from Foligno and saffron from Citta del Pieve find their way into savoury dishes. As in Tuscany, seasonality is key, with asparagus risotto signalling spring but truffled pasta more common in autumn. Try the speciality breads, a refreshing change from Tuscan blandness. Umbrian bread is far more varied and ranges from brustengo, oil-fried bread with bacon or rosemary, to pan caciato, made with pecorino cheese and walnuts. Umbrian wines are far less known than their Tuscan rivals but mostly deliver in terms of variety and value. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Find out about our privacy and cookies policy In most cases this web site will still degrade gracefully (which just means all content is still accessible) but having JavaScript enabled will enhance your user experience. If you wish to enable JavaScript in the most popular browsers please follow these instructions. If you're unable to activate JavaScript please contact us and we will try to work around the problem. Whether you come to Perugia to experience jazz in the summer or sample chocolate at the Eurochocolate festival in the fall, don't miss the lush history of the city. 1. Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria The Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria is an art historian's paradise and is certain to evoke a great ardor for the school of Umbria--an important school of painting in Italy. 2. Palazzo dei Priori The Palazzo dei Priori is one of the oldest communal gathering grounds in Umbria. Stop by and take in the view, the architecture, or a treat from the market in the center. 3. Perugia Cathedral One of the oldest churches in Perugia, the cathedral has beautiful frescos and even a garden.http://estabilizacionquimicasuelos.com/images/breville-juice-fountain-professional-manual.pdf Guided tours are often given by monks and are an excellent way to get to know more about the featured sculpture and artwork. 4. Collegio del Cambio You absolutely can't miss the Collegio del Cambio where you can see some works of the master painter, Pietro Vannuci, who went by the nickname Perugio. A must see for any fresco fanatic. 5. San Domenico Perugia The San Domenico Perugia has a beautiful facade. Plus, the church is conveniently located just ten minutes from anywhere in the old city. 6. San Bevignate Commissioned by the Templars, San Bevignate is a 13th century church. Keep in mind, there are no photos allowed so the only way to see the San Beivignate is to pay a visit. 7. Topino When you're in the mood for a day trip from Perugia, take a trip to Topino River. Just 15 miles outside Perugia, the river was made famous by Dante and flows into the Tiber. Planning Your Visit What to eat in Perugia. How to get around Perugia. The easiest and quickest way to get around Perugia is on foot. The historic city center and old town are located about ten minutes from each other. If you want to travel further outside the city, take a local bus or hire a taxi. The summers won't get warmer than the high 80s, so pack light. December and January are the coldest months, with temperature approaching 30 degrees.We visited Todi, Orvieto and Civita di Bagnoreggio and he took scenic routes throughout the day, stopping at some spectacular spots and commenting very knowledgeably about the area in general -- he is from here. He is a terrific driver (his car is beautiful and comfortable), has a great sense of humor and is sensitive to what his clients are interested in -- he listens. We truly enjoyed his company. HIGHLY recommend! Caludio picked me up at hotel and we headed to Basilica Di S Francesco and all the other incredible major church sites. As a Fransican this was a trip of a life time.https://www.reroofingbrisbaneqld.com.au/wp-content/plugins/formcraft/file-upload/server/content/files/16286cb801f42d---caddx-nx-8-installation-manual-pdf.pdf Claudia was attentive yet most respectful of my moments of deep reflection, prayer and sheer joy. We had a beautiful lunch in the central square P.zza Del Commune, and headed towards Spello for a refreshing gelato. A wonderfull experience! Victor Our guide listened to our interests and tailored our tour to meet them. He was very knowledgeable about the area and made great decisions regarding places to visit. He was one of the best guides we have used. We can't thank him enough for a great day. Friendly guide. However I thought perhaps we could have seen or learned a bit more in the two hours we had together. Adjusted to our slower pace. Provided in-depth info about Perugia, just what we wanted. Read More Save A Chocolate in Perugia Augusta Perusia Cioccolato e Gelateria Founded in 2000 by Giacomo Mangano, an expert chocolatier who learned his craft at Perugina, Augusta Perusia is a renowned chocolate maker. This, the company's original shop, is a magical showroom for all sorts. It's Perugia's. Read More Save L Food in Perugia La Bottega del Tartufo Ubiquitous on menus across central Italy, Umbria's truffles are a much vaunted regional speciality. This suitably aromatic store, one of a nationwide chain, sells more than 70 truffle-infused products, including. Read More Save M Ceramics in Deruta Maioliche Nulli At Maioliche Nulli, Rolando Nulli creates each item by hand, while his brother Goffredo finishes them with intricate paintings, specialising in classic medieval designs. If they’re not busy and you ask nicely in. Read More Save B Ceramics in Perugia Bettini Deruta This old-fashioned, handle-with-care shop showcases high-quality majolica ceramics. Before buying you can. Read More Save B Jewellery in Perugia Burzigotti 1979 Modern, handmade jewellery born in Perugia and crafted by Alessio Burzigotti. Themed lines are all over the shop, from classic to offbeat, angels to devils, tarantulas to ducks, Australian pearls to Asian pop.www.cmevalves.com/pictures/files/canon-sure-shot-70-manual.pdf Read More Save M Music in Perugia Musica Musica An old-school record shop featuring rows and rows of new and used vinyl, CDs and musical paraphernalia. From jazz to punk, new wave to krautrock, most musical genres are represented. I want emails from Lonely Planet with travel and product information, promotions, advertisements, third-party offers, and surveys. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Contact Lonely Planet here. Lonely Planet Privacy Policy. All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. The 13th-century complex is comprised of two churches: the Gothic Basilica Superiore, with. Read More Save Top Choice Cathedral in Orvieto Duomo Nothing can prepare you for the visual feast that is Orvieto's soul-stirring Gothic cathedral. Dating from 1290, it sports a black-and-white banded exterior fronted by what is perhaps the most astonishing facade. Read More Save B Basilica in Assisi Basilica Superiore The upper church of the Basilica di San Francesco was built after the Basilica Inferiore and consecrated in 1253, and the change in style and grandiosity is readily apparent. Its bright, airy interior is home to. Read More Save B Basilica in Assisi Basilica Inferiore The lower and earlier of the two churches comprising the Basilica di San Francesco, this basilica was commissioned by Pope Gregory IX in 1228, just two years after St Francis' death, and completed in 1230. Its. Read More Save N Top Choice Historic Site in Narni Narni Sotterranea Narni’s main drawcard is this extraordinary subterranean underworld. Discovered by a group of young speleologists in 1977, and originally accessed through an opening in a hillside vegetable garden, it unravels. Read More Save Top Choice Cable Car in Gubbio Funivia Colle Eletto Although the Basilica di Sant'Ubaldo, perched high on Monte Ingino, is a perfectly lovely church, the real adventure is getting there on the funivia.https://dipinkrishna.com/wp-content/plugins/formcraft/file-upload/server/content/files/16286cb92ddc0d---caddx-nx-8-alarm-manual.pdf The word funivia suggests an enclosed cable car, but this is. Read More Save E Christian Site in Assisi Eremo delle Carceri Perched on the forested slopes of Monte Subasio, this monastery is set around the caves where St Francis and his followers prayed and contemplated spiritual matters. The carceri (isolated places, or 'prisons'). Read More Save D Top Choice Cathedral in Spoleto Duomo A flight of steps sweeps down to Spoleto's pale-stone cathedral, photogenically set on a graceful hillside piazza. Originally constructed to a Romanesque design in the 12th century, it later underwent various. Read More Save Top Choice Gallery in Perugia Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria Umbria's foremost art gallery is housed in Palazzo dei Priori on Perugia's main strip. Its collection, chronologically displayed over 40 rooms, is one of central Italy's finest, numbering more than 3000 works. Read More Save U Top Choice Music in Perugia Umbria Jazz Ever since making its debut in 1973, Perugia's swinging 10-day July festival, Umbria Jazz, has put the city firmly on the world jazz map, with such headline acts as BB King, Van Morrison, James Brown, Sting, Chet. Read More Save Top Choice Historic Building in Perugia Palazzo dei Priori Flanking Corso Vannucci, this Gothic palace, constructed between the 13th and 14th centuries, is architecturally striking with its tripartite windows, ornamental portal and fortress-like crenellations. It was. Read More Save B Wine Bar in Orvieto Bottega Vera This stylish gourmet deli and wine shop has been pouring the good stuff since 1938, when it was started by grandmother of current host Cesare, who will expertly guide you through his daily selections of wine by. Read More Save C Church in Assisi Chiesa di San Damiano Set amid lush olive groves 1.5km southeast of Assisi's historic centre, this atmospheric sanctuary is where St Francis is said to have heard the voice of God in 1205 and later wrote his Cantico delle Creature.http://dabien.co.kr/wp-content/plugins/formcraft/file-upload/server/content/files/16286cba515e56---caddx-nx-124a-user-manual.pdf Read More Save I Top Choice Italian in Orvieto I Sette Consoli This refined restaurant walks the culinary high wire in Orvieto, serving inventive, artfully presented dishes, from joyful starters such as panzanella (a bread-based salad typical of central Italy) with. Read More Save Top Choice Piazza in Todi Piazza del Popolo Just try to walk through Piazza del Popolo without trying to photograph it from every angle. The rectangular piazza is one of Umbria's finest medieval squares and is flanked by a series of notable buildings: the. Read More Save M Museum in Gubbio Museo Civico Housed in Palazzo dei Consoli, this museum is home to the celebrated Iguvine Tables (also known as the Eugubian Tables or Tablets), seven bronze tablets inscribed with ancient text. Discovered in 1444 and dated. Read More Save N Top Choice Historic Building in Perugia Nobile Collegio del Cambio Seat of Perugia's Moneychanger's Guild between 1452 and 1457, the extravagantly adorned Nobile Collegio del Cambio has three rooms: the Sala dei Legisti (Jurists' Hall), with 17th-century wooden stalls carved by. Elegantly housed in a 16th-century palazzo and furnished with bright modern art, chef Valentino Palmisano's fine-dining. Fancy sauces aren't needed to hide the food because Tuscans use pure, strong flavors and the freshest of ingredients. The great dishes are in fact very basic: homemade ribbons of egg pasta in hare sauce, game or free-range domestic animal meats grilled over wood coals, and beans simmered in earthenware pots. The most prominent cooking additives are wine and olive oil. Tuscan and Umbrian oil is some of the finest in the world -- especially oil produced around Lucca, close to the hill village of Castagneto Carducci, and around the Umbrian Vale of Spoleto -- and comes in several gradients depending on the level of acidity.www.clinicaponce.com/galeria/files/canon-sure-shot-60-zoom-manual.pdf The more the olives are bruised before being pressed, the higher the acidity will be, which is why most olive picking is still done by delicate hands and not brutish machines. We don't know why they bother classifying some oils as vergine, fino vergine, or soprafino vergine, because no self-respecting Italian would use anything but extra vergine (extra virgin), some of which is rated DOC and DOCG, just like wine. Olives are harvested and pressed in October, and the oil is best fresh. Another popular, and expensive, Tuscan and Umbrian garnish is the tartufo, or truffle. It's a fungal tuber (read: mushroom) that grows inexplicably around the roots of certain trees in certain soils under certain conditions that have for centuries baffled a food industry desperate to farm these lucrative little buggers. Tuscany and Umbria are blessed to have both kinds growing underfoot, the black in many areas, especially Spoleto, and the white around San Miniato in Tuscany and Gubbio in Umbria. Fall is truffle season. We have separated restaurant listings throughout this guide into four price categories, based on the average cost of a meal per person, including tax and service charge but not including drinks.Crostini are little rounds of toast spread with various pates, the most popular being di fegatini (chicken liver flavored with anchovy paste and capers) and di milza (spleen), though you'll also often get mushrooms, tomatoes, a cheesy sauce, or (especially in Umbria) a truffle paste. Another popular appetizer is simple bruschetta (in Tuscany often called fettunta ), a slab of peasant bread toasted on the grill, rubbed with a garlic clove, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with coarse salt -- order it al pomodoro for a pile of cubed tomatoes and torn basil leaves added on top. In summer, you'll also be offered panzanella, a kind of cold salad made of stale bread soaked in cold water and vinegar mixed with diced tomatoes, onions, and basil, all sprinkled with olive oil. A pinzimonio is a selection of raw vegetables (celery, fennel, peppers, and the like) with olive oil in which to dip them. Primi -- Tuscan first courses come in three types. It's a chunky soup closer to a stew than anything else. The prime ingredients are black cabbage, bean puree, and whatever vegetables Mamma taught you to add in poured over stale peasant bread. Zuppa di fagioli (bean soup) can mean either this or a soupier breadless alternative. From somewhere around Siena and south, every town has its own name for the simple homemade pasta that's basically durum wheat mixed with water and rolled between the hands into chewy fat spaghetti. In Siena province, it's called pici or pinci; around Orvieto, order umbrichelli; and in Assisi or Spoleto, call it stringozzi (or some variant there of). It's usually served in a basic tomato sauce or alla carrettiera (a tomato sauce spiked with peperoncini hot peppers). Secondi -- Tuscans are unabashed carnivores, and the main course is almost always meat, usually grilled. Italians like their grilled meat as close to raw as rare can get, so if you prefer it a bit more brown, order your bistecca ben cotta (well done, which just might get you something close to medium). This is grilled over glowing wood coals, then brushed with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with cracked black pepper. So simple, so good. The steaks average 1 to 2 inches thick and weigh about 3 to 4 pounds. More everyday secondi are grigliata mista (mixed grill that may include lamb, sausage, chicken, or steak), arista (they usually leave off the di maiale because this dish invariably consists of slices of roast pork loin), fritto misto (mix of chicken, lamb, sweetbreads, artichokes, and zucchini dipped in bready egg batter and deep-fried in olive oil), and any wild game, especially cinghiale (wild boar), which is often cooked in umido (stewed with tomatoes), as well as domesticated game like coniglio (rabbit) and anatra (duck). They cook pollo (chicken) arrosto (roasted), alla diavola (with hot spices), or al mattone (cooked under the weight of a hot brick), but usually tend to dry it out in doing so. A lombatina di vitello is a simple veal chop, prepared in myriad ways. One Tuscan specialty to which Florentines are particularly beholden is trippa (tripe, the stomach lining of a cow), most popularly served as trippa alla fiorentina, tripe strips or cubes casseroled with vegetables and topped with tomato sauce and parmigiano. Cibreo is another local Florentine dish -- a mix of cockscombs and chicken livers mixed with beans and egg yolks and served on toast. Contorni -- Tuscans are called the mangiafagioli (bean-eaters) by other Italians. And fagioli here, the Italian word for beans in general, almost invariably means white cannellini beans (sometimes red kidney beans or green broad beans will show up, increasingly as you get into Umbria). However, a simple plate filled with nothing but fagioli or fagioli in fiasco, cooked al dente with a liberal supply of olive oil poured on and ground black pepper for taste, is somehow divine within Tuscany's borders. For something zestier, order fagioli all'uccelletto, in which the beans are stewed with tomatoes, garlic, and sage. Any other vegetable -- melanzane (eggplant), pomodoro (tomato), carciofi (artichokes), or peperone (bell pepper) -- is usually sliced thin, grilled, and served swimming in olive oil. About the only other side dish central Italians turn to is patate (potatoes), either arrosto (roasted and covered with olive oil and rosemary) or fritte (the increasingly popular french fries). The main dish to have after dinner, however, is cantucci con vin santo. Cantucci, or biscotti di Prato in that town most famed for them, are the Tuscan variant on the twice-baked hard almond crescent cookies called biscotti, usually eaten by dunking them in a small glass of the sweet dessert wine vin santo. Panforte is a very dense fruitcake. (One of Siena's specialties, pan pepato, is its medieval predecessor, with more exotic spices including black pepper added into the sweetness.) A castagnaccio is a dense cake made of chestnut flour and topped with pine nuts; necci are chestnut-flour crepes; and a zuccotto is a concentration of calories in the form of sponge cake filled with semifreddo moussed chocolate, cream, candied fruit, and nuts. What to Drink To Italians, wine is the obvious only choice of beverage with dinner, so in most restaurants your only decision will be rosso o bianco (red or white). Unless you want to celebrate some special occasion or are in the mood to expand your connoisseurship, the vino della casa (house wine) will almost invariably do wonderfully. Sparkling wine, called spumante, is usually imported from other Italian zones (the most famous of which are Asti and the Valdobbiadene, which produces the best prosecco ). Those refraining from alcohol for personal or health reasons needn't worry -- you won't be met with scowls or discouragement if all you order is a bottle of mineral water; wine consumption is expected at meals but certainly not required. When tooling around the wine-heavy countryside of Tuscany or Umbria, any sign that touts vendita diretta means the owner of those vines will sell to you direct. DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) wines are those that a government board guarantees have come from an official wine-producing area and that meet the standard for carrying a certain name on the label. A vino di tavola (table wine) classification merely means a bottle doesn't fit the pre-established standards for the other classifications, and is not necessarily a reflection of the wine's quality. However, vino da tavola is generally used for what it was originally intended to mean: simple, hearty, tasty table wines that go well with any meal but probably won't send wine snobs into ecstasies of flowery poetic description. In 1980, a new category was added. DOCG (the G stands for Garantita ) is granted to wines with a certain subjective high quality. Traditionally, DOCG labels were merely the highest-profile wines that lobbied for the status (getting DOC or DOCG vastly improves reputations and therefore sales, though the costs of putting up the wine annually for testing are high). In 1992, the laws were rewritten and Italy's original list of six DOCG wines (three of which were Tuscan) jumped to 15; the count now stands at 47. Eight of these are Tuscans (Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano, Chianti, in several varieties, Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Morellino di Scansano, and Aleatico dell'Elba) and two are Umbrian (Sagrantino di Montefalco and Torgiano Rosso Riserva). Many respectable producers have experimented by mixing varietals with French grapes, such as cabernet and chardonnay, to produce wines that, though complex and of high quality, don't fall into the conservative DOC system. Among this classification, the highbred wines became known as Supertuscans: There's no guaranteeing the quality of these experimental wines, yet most self-respecting producers won't put on the market a failure or something undrinkable.It's produced by a single estate near the coast south of Livorno and, despite the popular status of more well-known wines such as Brunello, is perhaps Italy's finest red wine. The cabernet grapevines used here were transplanted from the Chateau Lafite in the 1940s. The practical upshot of all this is that DOC and DOCG wines represent the best of traditional wine formulas. IGT wines are for unique wines from even smaller specific areas or single vintners, and this is one of the fastest growing categories among the better wines and extraordinary one-offs. Tuscan Wines -- Undoubtedly, Italy's most famous wine is the easygoing and versatile chianti, traditionally produced all around central Tuscany. The Chianti Classico zone of the tall hills between Florence and Siena produces the oldest, most balanced blends; it was the world's first officially established wine area in 1716. In the 19th century, a more exacting formula for chianti was worked out in the hills between Siena and Florence by Baron Ricasoli, with 75 to 90 sangiovese with other local grapes thrown in to mellow it out and make it more drinkable. Only recently were the DOCG laws controlling chianti relaxed to allow fully sangioveto chiantis to be produced, and today, a Chianti Classico can have anywhere from 70 to 100 sangiovese, often rounded out with an imported cru such as cabernet, merlot, or pinot nero. This has led to a surge in the quality and full-bodiedness of chianti, moving most of it from being a knockabout good table wine to a complex, structured, heavyweight contender in annual wine fairs. Although quality still varies, it's usually thoroughly reliable and is one of the best everyday wines produced anywhere. Tuscany's powerhouse red wine -- and, depending on whom you ask, the number-one or number-two wine in all of Italy -- is Brunello di Montalcino.