Chianti Classico

The home of the Sangiovese grape - one of the world's great grape varieties and an elementary component of Chianti Classico - is in historic Chianti.

The Chianti Classico DOCG production area extends between the cities of Florence and Siena in the heart of Tuscany. The vineyards are located at altitudes between 50 and 700 meters above sea level and the soil variety ranges from galestro (slate rock) and limestone to clay and sand.

In the 60s and 70s, the reputation of Chianti Classico suffered greatly - the wine was copied relentlessly. The countermeasure introduced in 1984 with a DOCG (wines with controlled designation of origin) severely restricted production. Only if the wine grew in the defined area of picturesque towns such as Castellina, Radda, Gaiole, Greve, Panzano, etc., and met certain minimum requirements, could it call itself Chianti Classico. The wines can be recognized by its unique feature on the label the "Gallo Nero" (the black rooster).

A Chianti Classico must be made up of at least 80% Sangiovese, with complementary varieties such as Canaiolo, Colorino or international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon at most. A Chianti Classico can be marketed as an Annata, as a fresh young vintage wine, as a Riserva (with an aging period of 24 months) or as a Gran Selezione: A Gran Selezione must be aged for 30 months and the grapes used must come only from the winery's own vineyards.

Chianti Classico is no longer a cheap everyday wine. The days of the straw-wrapped Fiasco bottle are also over. Thanks to high-quality finishes, aging in barriques, and an emphasis on Sangiovese, Chianti Classico has become a collector's item and a fine wine of distinction for connoisseurs. After a few dry spells, Chianti has once again become a wine of international stature.

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