Chianti wine is produced in the Chianti region of Tuscany, in the area between the provinces of Florence, Pisa, Arezzo, Pistoia, Prato and Siena. A countryside territory characterized by hills, whose wine production goes back centuries, more precisely to the Etruscan era. This region is divided into seven different geographical sub-zones, known as Colle Fiorentini, Colli Aretini, Montalbano, Rufina, Montespertoli, Colline Senesi and Colli Pisani. It has two versions: “Chianti DOCG” and “Chianti Classico DOCG”. They are both produced using the Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano, Malvasia bianca, Merlot and Sauvignon grapes. The name chianti probably derives from the Latin clangor, which means “noise”, a term that recalls the days of hunting in the surrounding forest. Also, the Etruscan word clante, a widespread name in the area refers to the Etruscan families, and the word clante meaning “water”, are both related terms to the word.
Chianti is mainly characterized by the ruby red tone and by the armonic flavour of red fruits, balsamic vinegar, with floral hints of iris and violet, which becomes soft and velvety to the palate thanks to the aging process. Chianti wine can be drunk aged and fresh; when fresh, it can be paired well with red meat, while aged wine goes well with aged cheeses and game meat (dishes made with boar, hare and pheasant). When consumed without food, it could be a good meditation wine. According to the specifications that regulate its production, it can be sold from the 1st of October of the year following the grape harvest. To obtain the denomination of “Riserva”, a twenty-four month ripening period, three of which in the bottle for aging, is required.
