Chianti Classico: the first territory of wine in Italy!

"A history going back 300 years and not a single white feather" is one of the slogans chosen for the celebration of 300 years of Chianti Classico, the symbol of which is the famous 'Gallo Nero' (Black Cockerel). In 1716 the Grand Duke Cosimo de' Medici III set down in a proclamation the geographical perimeter of the Chianti region, or rather, the area in which this wine could, and must, be produced in order to define itself as such. 300 years on and the borders of the 'Classico' zone of production between Florence and Siena have altered little and Chianti continues to confirm itself as the land of choice for extraordinary wines!

Chianti Classico turns 300

Cosimo de' Medici understood perfectly and with great foresight the importance and value of the Designation of an Area of Origin and penned a proclamation entitled, "Concerning the Declaration of Boundaries of the four Regions Chianti, Pomino, Carmignano and Val d'Arno di Sopra". He decided in fact to trace the outline of some of the areas particularly known for their production of high-quality wine, and among these was Chianti, the largest area, contained between Florence and Siena and in which was born the namesake Chianti wine (today known as Chianti Classico).

This was nothing less than a project to defend and lend value to a product, with the precise aim of defining an area of production, the identity of the wines produced therein thus guaranteeing their origin; all this at a time when the export of Italian wine to England had to be safeguarded to the detriment of the French and the Spanish. It was already well appreciated then that different territories. or terroirs  give birth to wines of different characteristics.

The municipalities that were initially recognized were Radda, Gaiole, Castellina and Greve. It was only in 1932 when Barberino Val d'Elsa, Castelnuovo Berardenga, San Casciano e Tavarnelle Val di Pesa were added that Chianti Classico took on the appearance we know today. And it was in this form that the Legal Appellation of Origin (DOC) was confirmed in 1966.

But we have to be careful! We mustn't confuse Chianti Classico with Chianti, which instead extends over a vast zone of Tuscany with the exception, of course, of the Classico part.

The Important Families of Chianti Classico

But what grapes did they use for Chianti Classico in the age of Cosimo III? We're not exactly sure but it would appear that the choice fell on a combination of grapes rather than on one single grape variety.

We have to wait until the late 1800s before Baron Bettino Ricasoli  actually put the "recipe" down on paper. In a letter of 1872 he synthesizes years of experiments, and selects three grapes: Sangiovese which has to be the main one, " because of its aroma and a certain vigour in taste"; Canaiolo whose, "sweetness softens the harshness of the former without taking away any of its fragrance";  and Malvasia, "which increases its flavor and makes it lighter and more readily suitable for daily consumption". Since then the odd grape might have been added or taken away, but Sangiovese remains the king of the region!

Another Tuscan family had a very important role in spreading this wine round the world. The Melini family that was already producing wine in Pontassieve in 1705, resolved another fundamental problem for the transport and conservation of Chianti by finding a way of transporting it long distances in small flasks. Wicker wine bottles were already in use, but Laborel Melini adopted the "strapeso" or "tempered" bottle invented by the master glassmaker Paolo Carrai, a bottle able to withstand the pressure of the mechanically inserted cork and so tolerate the long journeys involved in capturing markets all over the world!

So let's celebrate a special birthday of a wine that represents in an extraordinary way a grand and unique tradition!

The Legend of the 'Gallo Nero' (Black Cockerel)

At the time of the rivalry between Florence and Siena, the two republics decided to redraw the borders of their respective territories. Not being able to come to an agreement they decided on a challenge: at the first crowing of the cockerel in the respective cities of Siena and Florence one knight would gallop off in the direction of the other city. The point where they met would be where the new boundary was to be drawn.

The Florentines knew they had the edge by fasting their cockerel so he would start crowing before dawn thus letting the Florentine knight cover much more ground than his Sienese challenger.

The two met at Fonterutoli where the treaties were duly signed and the border between the two republics was fixed in Castellina, a few kilometres from Siena.

The 'Gallo Nero' therefore became the symbol of the Chianti Classico consortium and since the 1920s right up to today has been printed on every bottle produced as a witness to the authenticity of Chianti Classico.