September is harvest season in southern Tuscany. The grapes are picked and pressed, the first porcini pop out from the woods, figs hang heavy on the trees and the bakeries start making schiacciata all’uva, a sweet grape flatbread we wait for all year.
Summer produce hasn’t quite gone yet, and the first fall flavors are arriving, so it’s one of the best months of the year to eat here.
Ciao, I’m Louisa and after years of writing about and tasting my way through all 20 Italian regions, harvest time here is still my favorite season to cook and eat.
In this guide, come with me and see what’s in season in Tuscany in September, the harvest season dishes to look for, and where to taste them in the Val d’Orcia, Valdichiana and the hill towns around Montepulciano, Pienza and Cetona.
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Quick Guide: What’s in Season in Southern Tuscany in September
| Produce | Italian Name | When in September | How We Eat It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine grapes | Uva | Harvest runs into October | Wine, and schiacciata all’uva |
| Porcini mushrooms | Funghi porcini | As the weather turns | With tagliatelle, in risotto or grilled |
| Figs | Fichi | Best early in the month | With prosciutto, in tarts and jams |
| Tomatoes | Pomodori | Best early in the month | Pappa al pomodoro, bruschetta |
| Zucchini, peppers, eggplant | Zucchine, peperoni, melanzane | Last of the summer crop | Grilled as a contorno |
| Pumpkin | Zucca | First of the year | Risotto and filled pasta |
| Peaches and plums | Pesche e prugne | End of the season | As they are, or baked into cakes |
| Apples and pears | Mele e pere | New season begins | Cakes, and pears with pecorino |
The Grape Harvest (La Vendemmia)
The grape harvest, or vendemmia, is the heartbeat of September in southern Tuscany. Depending on the weather and the grape variety, picking starts in September and carries on into October. You will see tractors pulling crates of grapes along the country roads, and the smell of fermenting must drifts out of the cellars in every wine town.
Southern Tuscany is home to two of Italy’s most famous red wines, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino, so harvest season is a great time to plan a winery visit. Most wineries are busy during the vendemmia, so book your tasting ahead. My guides to Montepulciano wineries and Montalcino wineries for wine tours are a good place to start, and near Cetona, my family’s favorite is Ravazzi Cantina in San Casciano dei Bagni.
For more on what to order, see my list of wines to try in Tuscany.
Schiacciata all’Uva
Schiacciata all’uva is the sweet taste of the Tuscan grape harvest. It’s a soft flatbread layered with whole black grapes, olive oil and sugar, then baked until the grapes burst and turn jammy. It was traditionally made with Canaiolo grapes, and today often with uva fragola, a fragrant grape with a strawberry-like flavor.
It’s only made for about six or seven weeks a year, in September and October, so if you see it in a bakery window, buy a slice. Fair warning: the grape seeds are usually left in, which is part of its rustic charm. It’s the sweet cousin of Tuscany’s salty schiacciata.
Porcini Mushrooms
As the weather turns in September, porcini start to appear in the woods of Tuscany. They can’t be cultivated, so every one you eat has been foraged. Southern Tuscany’s chestnut and oak woods, especially around Monte Amiata, are prime mushroom territory, and locals guard their favorite spots closely.
In restaurants, look for tagliatelle ai funghi porcini, egg pasta tossed with porcini, garlic, butter and parsley, or porcini grilled with olive oil and nepitella (a wild mint-like herb). You can make the pasta at home with my tagliatelle recipe.
Good To Know: Leave the foraging to experienced locals. Wild mushrooms can be dangerous, and there are rules about who can pick and how much. Buy them at the market or order them in a restaurant instead.
End of Summer Produce in Southern Tuscany
Figs (Fichi)
Figs are at their peak in late August and early September. In southern Tuscany, fig trees grow along stone walls and next to old farmhouses, and many families have one in the garden. The classic way to eat them is with thinly sliced prosciutto crudo, sweet and salty together.
Tomatoes (Pomodori)
Some of the best tomatoes of the year come in early September. This is the moment for pappa al pomodoro, the Tuscan bread and tomato soup, and simple bruschetta al pomodoro. Late summer is also when many Tuscan families jar their tomato sauce for the winter.
The Last Summer Vegetables
Zucchini, peppers and eggplant are still around in early September, but they get harder to find and more expensive as the month goes on. Order verdure grigliate, a plate of grilled vegetables drizzled with olive oil, while you still can.
Fall Fruit Arrives
The last peaches and plums overlap with the first new-season apples and pears. In Tuscany, ripe pears and pecorino is a classic pairing, often served at the end of a meal. You’ll also start to see the first pumpkins (zucca) at the market.
For the full list, see my guide to seasonal produce in September in Italy.
What to Eat in Southern Tuscany in September
Here are the dishes I’d look for on menus in southern Tuscany during harvest season.
Pici With Porcini: The thick, hand-rolled pici of southern Tuscany are on menus all year, but in September look for them served with fresh porcini.
Tagliatelle ai Funghi Porcini: Egg pasta with porcini, garlic, butter and parsley.
Pappardelle al Sugo di Cinghiale: Wide egg noodles with a rich wild boar sauce, a classic of the area. Not sure of the difference between the pastas? Read tagliatelle vs pappardelle.
Prosciutto e Fichi: Cured ham with fresh figs, perfect as an antipasto.
Pappa al Pomodoro: Tomato and bread soup, best with early September tomatoes.
Schiacciata all’Uva: The grape harvest flatbread, for breakfast, a snack or dessert.
For more local dishes and the restaurants where I order them, see my guide to what to eat in southern Tuscany.
What’s Not in Season Yet
Visitors often come in September expecting the olive harvest and truffles, so it’s worth knowing what’s still to come.
New Olive Oil (Olio Nuovo): The olive harvest in Italy runs from October to December depending on the area, so freshly pressed oil isn’t ready in September.
White Truffles: The winter white truffle season starts in October. Summer black truffles (scorzone) are at the end of their season, and truffle hunting is not allowed from September 1 to 20. My guide to truffles in Italy explains the seasons.
Chestnuts: Monte Amiata’s chestnuts arrive later in the fall.
If these are on your wish list, look at my guide to seasonal produce in October in Italy.
Food Festivals and Markets in September
Fall is a great season for sagre, the village food festivals that celebrate one local dish or ingredient. They usually take place on weekends, are often held outside the town center, and are cash-only more often than not. Look for posters around town, and read my guide to sagre in Italy before you go.
The weekly market is the best place to see the harvest up close. My guide to the top markets in Tuscany covers some of my favorites, and if you’re staying near Cetona, there’s plenty to explore in the surrounding villages.
Cook Harvest Season Food With Me
My cultural cooking retreat in Tuscany is held every fall at Camporsevoli, a private medieval village in Cetona. We cook with what’s in season that week, visit local producers and wineries, and sit down every evening to the meal we’ve made together. If you’re staying in a villa nearby, I also teach private cooking classes in Tuscany, where we will cook using September’s finest ingredients.
To understand why we cook this way, read my guide to why Italians eat seasonally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is September a good time to visit Tuscany?
Yes, September is one of the best months to visit Tuscany for food and wine. It’s grape harvest season, porcini and figs are in season, and late summer produce overlaps with the first fall dishes.
When is the grape harvest in Tuscany?
The grape harvest in Tuscany usually runs from September into October. The exact timing depends on the weather that year, the grape variety and the area.
Can you join the grape harvest in Tuscany as a visitor?
Sometimes. Some family wineries and agriturismi welcome guests to help pick grapes, but it depends on the estate and the weather, so ask when you book. Winery tastings are easier to arrange, but book ahead since September is a busy month.
When is porcini season in Tuscany?
Porcini usually start to appear in Tuscany in late summer and fall, when the weather turns cooler and wetter. The exact timing changes every year depending on rain and temperature.
Is the olive harvest in September in Tuscany?
No. The olive harvest in Italy runs from October to December, depending on the area, so new olive oil isn’t available until then.
Final Thoughts
Southern Tuscany in September is all about the harvest: grapes heading into the cellars, porcini on the menu, figs with prosciutto and a warm slice of schiacciata all’uva. Book a winery visit, go to the weekly market, and order whatever the server says just came in that morning. That’s how locals eat during harvest season.
More on Southern Tuscany: Montepulciano, Italy – A Traveler’s Guide | Montepulciano Restaurants | My Favorite Montalcino Restaurants | My Favorite Cafés in Montepulciano | | Cetona, Italy – A Local’s Guide To Cetona (+ Where to Eat!) | San Casciano dei Bagni – What To See And Where To Eat | Chiusi Restaurants | Best Restaurants in Pienza | Southern Tuscany in May | Southern Tuscany in September | My 8 Favorite Restaurants in Southern Tuscany | What to Eat in Southern Tuscany
More seasonal food guides: Foods to Eat in Italy in September | My Favorite Fall Foods in Italy
