Chianti Classico

Chianti Classico is the historic heartland of Chianti, in the hills between Florence and Siena in Tuscany. It is a Sangiovese-based red: medium-bodied, high in acidity and tannin, tasting of sour cherry, dried herbs, tomato leaf and leather.

Chianti versus Chianti Classico

This is the distinction that matters, and it is not obvious from the shelf.

Chianti is a large appellation covering much of central Tuscany, including several sub-zones. Quality is variable and the wines are generally lighter and simpler.

Chianti Classico is a separate, smaller appellation covering the original historic zone between Florence and Siena. Rules are stricter — lower yields, a higher minimum proportion of Sangiovese, and longer ageing. The bottles carry a black rooster (Gallo Nero) seal on the neck.

If you have had disappointing Chianti in the past, this is very often the explanation. The two are not interchangeable.

The classification within Chianti Classico

• Chianti Classico — the entry tier, aged around a year before release.
• Chianti Classico Riserva — longer ageing, more concentration.
• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione — the top tier, introduced relatively recently, made from a producer's best estate fruit and aged longest.

Sangiovese

Sangiovese is the required backbone, and a substantial majority of the blend by law. It is a thin-skinned, late-ripening grape with a very particular signature:

• High acidity — mouth-watering, and the reason the wine is such a natural partner for food.
• High, slightly grainy tannin.
• Sour red cherry as the core fruit, rather than sweet black fruit.
• Savoury notes — dried oregano and thyme, tomato leaf, orange peel, and with age leather, tobacco and earth.
• Pale to medium ruby colour that bricks quickly with age.

Small proportions of other varieties are permitted. Traditionally these were local grapes such as Canaiolo and Colorino; the modern era saw widespread blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which darkens and softens the wine. Many top estates have since returned to pure or near-pure Sangiovese.

A note on Super Tuscans

From the 1970s some Tuscan producers began making wines outside the appellation rules — often Cabernet- or Merlot-based, or pure Sangiovese aged in French barriques — and were forced to label them as simple table wine. These became known as Super Tuscans and now sit under the IGT Toscana designation or in coastal appellations such as Bolgheri.

If a serious, expensive Tuscan red does not say Chianti Classico on it, this is usually why.

What it tastes like

Medium-bodied, with high acidity and medium to high tannin. Sour cherry and red plum, dried herbs, tomato and a savoury, earthy finish. Alcohol is moderate. It is a wine built around structure and savouriness rather than fruit sweetness — which is exactly why it can seem austere on its own and transforms at the table.

Entry-level bottles drink well from release. Riserva and Gran Selezione reward five to fifteen years.

Food pairings

Sangiovese's high acidity makes it one of the great food reds, and specifically one of the very few that handles tomato well — most reds clash with tomato's acidity, but Sangiovese matches it.

• Tomato-based pasta and ragù — the definitive pairing.
• Pizza — for the same reason.
• Bistecca alla Fiorentina — grilled steak, the local answer, tannin against char and fat.
• Cured meats and salami.
• Pecorino Toscano — sheep's cheese with enough salt to soften the tannin.

What to buy

Look for the black rooster. Beyond that, Chianti Classico offers unusually good value for a famous region: a straight Chianti Classico from a respected estate is inexpensive relative to Barolo, Brunello or classed-growth Bordeaux, and it is far more versatile with everyday food.

If you want more power, Brunello di Montalcino is 100% Sangiovese from further south, richer and longer-lived, at a considerably higher price. Rosso di Montalcino is its younger sibling and a good bridge.

Serve at 16 to 18°C.