The pale grey marl quarried in the hills around Impruneta turns a deep warm red when fired and resists cold and damp better than most other clays. That is why, since at least the Renaissance, the tiles on Tuscan roofs, the giant lemon pots in villa courtyards, and the floors of countless monasteries have all come from here. Brunelleschi famously specified Impruneta tiles for the lantern of Florence cathedral.
A handful of traditional workshops on the edge of town — among them Mariani, Poggi Ugo, M.I.T.A.L., and Pesci — still throw, sculpt, and fire by largely traditional methods, with wood- and gas-fired kilns producing the certified Cotto dell'Impruneta. Most welcome visitors; a few keep small showrooms. Call ahead, and reserve the morning if you want to see clay being worked rather than just shopped. Shipping a large orcio (oil jar) home is more straightforward than it looks.