Just Pour: A No-Nonsense Wine Guide to Chianti Classico

Chianti is evolving into a great direction, so let's just agree that we need to drink more of it.

Chianti Classico has been misunderstood for way too long - like that one friend who tells the best stories but keeps getting overshadowed by the other, obnoxiously loud one (France, I’m looking at you). So when our monthly tasting group decided to give this Italian underdog its well-deserved spotlight, I knew it was time to set the record straight. Buckle up as we take a trip to the heart of Italy's most quietly rebellious wine region, where centuries of drama, rich history, and Italian flair have crafted one of the coolest comeback stories in the wine world.

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THE HISTORY

Once upon a time, in the rolling hills of Tuscany, two city-states - Florence and Siena - were like siblings fighting over whose room was bigger. But there was one thing they could agree on: the wine of Chianti was their mutual obsession. Florence, the obvious overachiever, decided to take things into its own hands. “Enough is enough!” they cried. And so, they formed the Lega del Chianti, a group dedicated to protecting its liquid treasure (unrelated to any sports league, though they did have a cool mascot - a black rooster). They even threw in three villages: Radda, Gaiole, and Castellina. These were now the official keepers of the holy grape juice.

Fast forward to 1716, when Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici - aka Tuscany's raddest duke - declared, “This land and this wine are too good to share with just anyone. We need some boundaries people!” And with the flourish of his quill (or whatever writing tool fancy dukes used back then), he drew the borders of Chianti, creating one of the first wine appellations in history. The rest of the world was still figuring out what wine even was, and Tuscany was already locking down the works.

But wait, there’s more! Enter Baron Bettino Ricasoli, the Iron Baron (because, of course, he was too cool for just a regular title). In the 19th century, he waltzed into Chianti’s history and decided that Sangiovese was to lead the show, with a bit of Canaiolo and Malvasia Blanca mixed in for good measure, creating the original Chianti formula. His recipe was so good that every winemaker in Tuscany jumped on the bandwagon, turning Chianti into the region’s version of pizza - a beloved staple that everyone wanted in on. But the folks in the heart of Chianti were like, “Hold up, we were here first!” So, they slapped Classico onto their wine, saying “We’re the OG Chianti, don’t you forget.”

Then came the 20th century. With the world’s obsession with Italian wine, the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico was formed in 1924, dedicated to keeping Chianti Classico’s quality at the highest levels, with the gallo nero representing this on the bottles. Then in 1984, Chianti Classico hit the jackpot, earning the DOCG status, the ultimate “we’ve made it” moment for Italian wines. And thus, Chianti Classico strutted into the halls of wine greatness.

The Florence Renaissance was something else

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