Chianti is one of the most iconic wines in the world, and while you think you might know it, today’s Chianti producers have defined and refined this most enchanting Italian wine.  The allure of its complex bouquet, red cherry fruit, dried herbs, spice, balsamic vinegar notes, smoked meats, violets, espresso, tobacco and toasted oak draws you in to a full, smooth red wine, with vibrant acidity and integrated, silky tannins.  It’s a savory, tangy wine that has so many incarnations, depending on the category and the sub-region, but one thing is for sure, to drink Chianti is to find yourself among the rolling hills of Tuscany, with all its aromatic splendor.

Chianti Vineyard, Courtesy of Consorzio Vino Chianti

Chianti has a rich history in Italy, going back over 300 years when the first set of laws governing production was issued.  Since then, Chianti’s definition has been in flux, evolving over blending, winemaking methods and sub-regions, until the official Consorzio Vino Chianti came into existence almost a hundred years ago.  So while today there is a much greater understanding and delineation of the vineyards, there is also a greater variety of Chianti wine.  To know Chianti is to love it, and that’s where the Consorzio stepped in, embarking on a “Chianti Lovers US Tour 2022” this past May.  There’s a lot to know and appreciate in this glass of “liquid culture”, and the magical spell that it casts over all who drink it.

Sangiovese grapes, Courtesy of Consorzio Vino Chianti

The broad strokes that form the tapestry of Chianti wine is complex.  Over 100 million bottles are produced annually by 3,300 wineries, all governed by the Consorzio’s production guidelines of yields, blending percentages and aging requirements.  A few basics can help when choosing a Chianti wine to drink.  Sangiovese is Chianti’s beating heart, making up a minimum of 80% or up to 100% of the wine, and producers are allowed to blend in other varietals such as Canaiolo, Colorino, Malvasia and even Cabernet Sauvignon.  There are basically three categories, Annata, Superiore and Riserva.  ”Annata” is the youngest expression, aging about 6 months, fragrant and fresh.  “Superiore” is the middle ground, aging at least one year and has higher minimum alcohol, a more robust and intense wine.  “Riserva” is the pinnacle, aging for at least two years, it’s a complex and intense expression of Sangiovese.  Within Chianti Classico DOCG, Gran Selezione is a new addition, above Riserva and reflecting higher requirements, along with only estate fruit, that embodies the ideal of excellence.

Chianti wine lovers, Courtesy of Consorzio Vino Chianti

Courtesy of Grape to Glass

​Now, to choose which expression of Chianti to drink is another dilemma.  Chianti wine can be made within the greater Chianti wine region that falls between the cities of Florence, Arezzo, Siena and Pisa.  There is the heart of Chianti, the original Chianti Classico DOCG, made up of nine communes, located between Florence and Siena, considered by many to be the core of highest quality wines.  The Classico wines are represented by the Gallo Nero or Black Rooster, a nod to the legend of a black rooster’s role in the war between Florence and Siena during medieval times.

The "Chianti Lands", Courtesy of Consorzio Vino Chianti

Outside of this historical center, the region is divided into seven sub-zones, DOCGs that have their own character.  The most historic and representative of these “Chianti Lands” cling to the outskirts of the major cities of Florence and Sienna, such as Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Chianti Colli Senesi, and Chianti Rufina.
 
Here is a brief summary of what to expect within a bottle:
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Chianti Colli Fiorentini embodies elegant wines with a rich character and delicate finesse, easy to drink young but ages well over time.
Chianti Colli Aretini expresses a more rustic, intense and generous nature, with a consistent body and concentration.
Chianti Colli Senesi manifests a smooth, elegant personality, as it ripens earlier, there are more fruity notes, sweetness and body, still adding up to richness and depth.
Chianti Colline Pisane offers a smooth and more modern interpretation, a gentler version of Sangiovese, due to the area’s sandy soils and proximity to the sea.
Chianti Montalbano produces structured wines, with a pleasant heady flavor.
Chianti Montespertoli has the highest concentration of vineyards in Tuscany, and includes a varied range of wine styles, all expressing lots of character and personality, due to the many different micro-ecosystems within.
Chianti Rufina is one of the oldest areas, with its higher altitudes, soil composition, and temperature range, the wines are blessed with a crispness and floral aromas, and the ability to age for a very long time.

Chianti Wine Ambassador Luca Alves

Travel and Food Writer Paul Feinstein (L) and Producer Barbara Barrielle contribute their expertise to the discussion

​The Chianti Lovers US Tour 2022 conducted a blind tasting seminar that illustrated all seven sub-zone DOCGs within one vintage year, 2017.  The 2017 vintage was difficult, with no summer rain, a hot August, humid climate and November rain.  Billed as “The Chianti Lovers ‘Wine & Cinema’ Experience”, a tasting and lively discussion among the participants was guided by Chianti Wine Ambassador Luca A. Alves, Travel and Food Writer Paul Feinstein, and Barbara Barrielle of Barbara Barrielle Productions, accompanied by a film homage to the cultural importance of Chianti in film.  Only after the tasting was finished were the producers revealed.  My three favorites?

Podere dell’Anselmo “Ingannamatti” Riserva Chianti Montespertoli, 100% Sangiovese from 15-year-old vines, fermented in stainless steel, aged 1 year in French barriques and 1 year in bottle.  It was an intense, muscular, fleshy and vibrant wine, falling somewhere between the old and new styles of Chianti, with a cornucopia of aromas and flavors, ripe fruit, leather, tobacco and toasted sesame notes, beautifully balanced.

​Castello del Trebbio “Lastricato” Riserva Chianti Rufina, 100% Sangiovese from 22-30 year old vines, fermented in Terracotta jars, and aged in large oak barrels.  It was an elegant, intense and structured wine, dark cherry and spice, along with balsamic notes and tobacco, silky, well integrated tannins unfurl upon a long finish.

​Castelvecchio “Vigna La Quercia” Riserva Chianti Colli Fiorentini, 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from 25-year-old vines, stainless steel fermented and aged 1 year in lightly toasted French oak, an elegant, spicy and textured wine with a long finish.

Consorzio President Giovanni Busi with his Villa Travignoli Chianti Rufina

Afterwards, over a dozen producers poured their Chianti wines during a walk-around tasting.  A couple of my favorites, the Fattoria di Fiano Ugo Bing Riserva, I tasted four vintages and the 2016 was the winner.  Poggio Mori and Villa Travignoli poured some nice wines as well, but in all fairness, I ran out of time to taste everyone in attendance.  And these were mostly young wines, just released, and need time to achieve their full potential.

Chianti really shines with food, and its higher acidity goes well with the rich food of the region.  The mix of sweet, tart and spicy flavors, along with the accents of dried herbs, cured meats, balsamic vinegar and tobacco notes, offer a textured backdrop.  And of note, there is actually a white Chianti, Vin Santo del Chianti, a complex sweet wine made of Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianco, classically paired with Biscotti at the end of a meal, the intense bouquet of dried yellow fruits, like apricots, notes of fig and honey, and sweet spice.

​From its ancient origins, to the 1970’s straw basket incarnations, to today’s distinctive and refined wines, Chianti strikes a chord among wine lovers.  Its aromatic splendor transports us to the rolling hills of Tuscany, and envelops us in its fragrance and savory palate.  Chianti is classic for all the right reasons, tradition and prestige, a love affair for a lifetime, to be sipped and drunk for all occasions and seasons.