“Chianti abuse” is not as prominent as it once was. There was a time when any-old red wine of indistinct origin was (improperly) called Chianti. Many of us can remember the “free” glass of (ice cold) “Chianti” that came with the lasagna special at any number of American “Italian” restaurants. That wine had never seen Italy, let alone the Chianti region. It had nothing in common with true Chianti except its color. Today, such misrepresentation is rare. Genuine Chianti has all but driven out the imposters. Our wine drinking options are all the better for that.

Chianti is a place name. A defined region of origin, in Tuscany, stretching from north of Florence to south of Sienna, with a few odd appendages reaching almost to the coast and south into Umbria. This is about 20% of the region of Tuscany. Within the Chianti region, a much smaller hill-country sub-region encompassing most of the finest vineyard areas, is labeled “Chianti Classico”. The grapes must be of specified types (mostly Sangiovese) coming from registered vineyards. Yields are regulated according to the amount of registered acreage and the quality grade. Even winemaking practices are governed. Harvest date and aging practices have legal limits as well. Lastly, and most importantly, any wine labeled Chianti is subject to review by a tasters panel of experts. Even a wine made “correctly” in all legal respects can be refused the use of the name “Chianti” if it does not taste as it should. In view of all this, genuine Chianti is a well-defined premium wine. Unfortunately, U.S. producers can ignore all this and call any wine they wish Chianti. This practice has become increasingly rare. In any case, an Italian bottle labeled “Chianti” is a very specific thing.

The main grape of Chianti is Sangiovese, a grape of uncertain antiquity, which has been the main grape of all of Tuscany for at least 300 years. In the 1800’s Chianti producers settled on using about 80% Sangiovese with a mixture of other grapes (some white) as a standard blend. Blending was the answer to fleshing out the rather tart Sangiovese and arriving at a more complex wine. Several Chianti houses date back far before this standardization. Famous houses such as Ricasoli (Brolio), Antinori, and Frescobaldi are among those dating back as much as 700-900 years. It is not clear exactly how the more ancient wines compared to modern ones, but winemaking in Tuscan goes back 4,000 years or more and includes every imaginable type of wine.

Today there has been a general elevation of the standards for Chianti. Even the most common sort is likely to be charming well made wine. Light, fresh-styled Chianti can be had for under $10. On the other hand, premium producers large and small have expanded the production of oak aged, long lived wines. These may vary in style. Some are aged in small cooperage and have been emboldened with the addition of heavier red grapes. Others are more traditional blends, edgier and more acid in their youth, with the potential of soft elegance if aged in the bottle. In either case, the addition of the word “Riserva” on the label signifies a minimum of 24 months aging at the winery. Most sizeable producers have a line of wines offering just about every red wine style possible.

The long established names in Chianti are the easiest to find in our market. They tend to offer great quality and consistency. Antinori, San Felice, Frescobaldi, Ricasoli, Ruffino, and others offer good value. The single vineyard and special edition Riservas from these firms are among the finest red wines on the market, and while they have risen steeply in price in recent years, they still undersell may other famous reds. Lately, we are seeing more offerings from smaller producers. This is all to the good as well, although it is impossible to know in advance the style of any particular new arrival, experimentation is not likely to disappoint.

There is a multitude of other great Tuscan red, both modern and ancient in origin, but that is a tale for another day.

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