Chianti through the ages
Few “soft” wine brands resonate with the British public more than Chianti. For many, its ubiquitous presence on our shelves and on wine lists immediately conjures up images of spag-bol and garlic bread. Or, for some of a certain age, it might trigger memories of a sad-looking candle forced into the neck of a wicker covered bottle. With its generic Italian-ness, few wines evoke memories of the early 1970s more than this one.
Chianti is a defined geographical area that sits between the famous Italian cities of Florence and Sienna in the central region of Tuscany, famed for the production of medium-bodied red wine from the Sangiovese grape.
We know quite a bit more about the history of the wines of Chianti than the wines of any other region of Italy, not because they have been of remarkable quality, but because of Tuscany’s hugely significant economic and political stature in the Middle Ages. Florence was the banking capital of Europe, and in the records of the merchants and currency traders, we can find references to wine; the earliest of these was in the correspondence of merchant Francesco di Marco Datini in 1398 where, in one of his many ledgers, he annotated the purchase of a white wine under the Chianti name.
Chianti is a beautifully undulating part of the country where less than eight per cent of the region is considered flat. In these hillside vineyards, with altitudes of 150 to 500 meters above sea level, you can find the higher quality wines. The significant variation of day and night time temperature help develop the aromatic qualities, the delicious cherry notes and the signature tangy acidity of the Sangiovese grape.
Although seven zones within the region have the right to use the Chianti name, it is wines with the Chianti Classico moniker that produce the highest quality. Until recently, most of the non-Classico Chianti wine was sold in bulk, reinforcing the cheap and cheerful image set in the late sixties and seventies.
Classico producers first made concerted efforts to improve the quality and, in the early 1990s, began to command higher prices with the British public. Since then, Chianti has undergone more changes than any other wine in Italy.
Look out for a “Gallo Nero” seal on the neck of the bottle next time you’re shopping for Chianti. This is an important mark of authenticity, granted only to wines that have originated in this zone and when coupled with DOCG status (“controlled and guaranteed designation of origin”), you can be sure that the Chianti Classico bottle you picked up is one of Italy’s finest wine.
Chianti wines to try:
Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Ruffina Riserva 2017 – £14.43 @ Drinks & Co
Chianti Classico DOCG Fontodi – £41 @ Nemo Wine Cellars