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Chianti Classico Docg: the Black Rooster wine

Floral notes of violets and irises combined with a typical character of red fruits: the excellence of Sangiovese, the Tuscany King of Wines

by Duccio Morozzo della Rocca

A charming landscape which the whole world fell in love with. Its hills and its cypresses, the vines and the olive trees, the ancient country houses and the evocative castles are something unique.
In that part of Tuscany, wine making has been an art built through the centuries.
The border of Chianti Classico field is in the north by the suburbs of Florence, to the east by the Chianti Mountains, to the south by the city of Siena and to the west by the valleys of the Pesa and Elsa rivers.

The birth of Chianti Wine
It was the work of the Italian statesman Bettino Ricasoli that created the modern "Chianti recipe".
Before Ricasoli, Canaiolo was emerging as the dominant variety in the Chianti blend with Sangiovese and Malvasia playing supporting roles.
In the mid-19th Century, Ricasoli developed a recipe for Chianti that was based primarily on Sangiovese. His recipe recalled for 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, 10% Malvasia (later amended to include Trebbiano) and 5% other local red varieties.

The Oldest area of Origin
The Chianti wine-producing area was delimited in 1932 by ministerial decree and the boundaries have remained unchanged since then. The decree described the district where Chianti Classico is produced as "the oldest area of origin," thereby recognizing its primacy and according it a special identity.
Today, since 1996, the blend for Chianti Classico has been 75-100% Sangiovese, up to 10% Canaiolo and up to 20% of any other approved red grape variety such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah. Since 2006, using white grape varieties such as Malvasia and Trebbiano have been forbidden in Chianti Classico.

Sangiovese, the soul of Chianti Classico
Sangiovese is the real soul of Chianti Classico. It is extremely sensitive to external factors, especially soil and climate, and it is truly difficult to identify another variety of wine that is so well able to represent the characteristics of the terroir and modify its aromas in accordance with the terrain in which the vine grows. Flowery bouquets derived from sandy soils, while limestone suggests scents of wild berries, and the aromas of tobacco are fresh with hints of tufa.
Whatever may be its area of origin, it has that scent of violets that the production regulations identify as the characterizing and specific element of Chianti Classico.

Interview with Giuseppe Liberatore, Director of Consortium Chianti Classico

- What do you see as the future for the Consortium, an increase in exports or domestic consumption?
Definitely the exportation. We’ve always had a prepossession for the export, no wonder 70% of Chianti Classico is sold abroad. I think that this policy will be predominating in the future as well.

- Regarding the exportation, do you feel more protected since the Doc, Docg, Igt are now in a common Dop/Igp register?
The fact that all goes through this register is good but the problem is that this kind of tutelage is valid only within the EU borders. The main question is what happens out of these borders. This is the reason why we have registered the words and logo of Chianti Classico in 40 different Countries in the world , from Japan to USA. This is, from our point of view, the real tutelage, expensive and micrologic, but is the only way we can obtain certainties.

- Is Chianti Classico wine confined by tradition or opened to innovation?
The virtue is in the mid way. Today what they used to do thirty years ago wouldn’t be appropriate, nor we want to produce a one-taste-wine, as the international taste requests. We wish to get the terroir to reach out in the taste of Chianti Classico, it has to emerge the wine personality. The new innovative techniques have certainly concurred to improve the quality, especially in the cellars. We are open wide toward the innovation but always within the respect of our territory’s identity.

The Black Rooster
The Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) has always been the logo and symbol of the entire Chianti region. The origin of it is lost in time: an amusing legend narrates of the rivalries existing in the Middle Ages between Siena and Florence. According to the legend, in order to cease their endless fighting, the two Tuscan cities decided to leave the definition of their respective boundaries to a remarkable feat between knights: they were to leave their hometowns at cockcrow and wherever they would have met each other, that exact spot would have been the border between the two republics. For this purpose, the citizens of Siena raised a beautiful white rooster, which grew big and fat. The Florentines, instead, chose a black rooster and never fed him, so that on the fateful day he was so famished, he started to crow even before sunrise. As a result, the Florentine knight was able to set out very early in the morning: he met the knight from Siena in Fonterutoli –merely twelve Km from Siena - as the latter had left much later. This is the reason why almost all of the Chianti territory was united under the rule of the Florentine Republic.

Tipologies of Chianti
The Black Rooster wines are introduced to the market in two versions: Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva.

CHIANTI CLASSICO
The aging for basic Chianti DOCG is much less stringent with most varieties allowed to be released to the market on March 1st following the vintage year. A relatively young and richly fruity wine, Chianti Classico must have a minimum alcohol level of at least 12% with a minimum of 7 months aging in oak. In the first years of its life, Chianti Classico is odorous, fruity and rounded and the wine features a brilliant ruby red color.

CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA
This is an imposing wine made from the best grapes, which are selected during the harvest, to assure a product of great depth, an ample and complex bouquet and an outstanding balance of elegance and power. Chianti Classico's labeled Riserva must be aged at least 27 months at the winery, with a minimum alcohol level of at least 12.5%

Chianti Classico therefore offers types of wine that are remarkably different one from another. That diversity is due to variations in the physical and climatic conditions in which the vines grow, the characteristics of the clones of the varieties used (the genetic properties that distinguish one plant from another) and the systems of cultivation and vinification.

Matches
Chianti Classico makes a great accompaniment for the Tuscany cuisine but it’s perfect teamed up with a large number of dishes. In particular, red meats cooked on the grill can be matched by wines with medium bodies and limited tannins, while more elaborate meat dishes require more structured wines. The great Riserva are ideal as accompaniments for dishes of aged cheeses.

Preserved in the bottle for months, if not years, it is important to remember that the wine needs to be oxygenated before being served: that’s especially true with Riserva. For this purpose, the bottle should be opened several hours before consumption.

5 Stars Vintages
As with all of the great wines, there are certain years that surpass themselves in excellence: 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 produced some truly unforgettable Chianti Classico vintages.

by Duccio Morozzo della Rocca
01 June 2009 Teatro Naturale International n. 5 Year 1

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