Why Chianti is really classico | David Williams

M&S Classics Chianti, Italy 2018, £8.50, Marks & Spencer Chianti classico producers have a long history of beef with wines labeled simply as chianti. Classico wines come from the original and superior wine-growing lands between Florence and Siena, recognized as early as 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de' Medici. Chianti, on the other hand, comes from a much larger neighboring region. The producers of Classico claim that if you want the real thing, you should look for the trademark black rooster on their bottles; a simple chianti can never match. After spending a few days visiting chianti classico producers earlier this summer, I have found many wines that support the argument, made by many Italian wine importers, that chianti classico is one of the of 'fine' red wine at the best price-quality ratio. , certainly against his Tuscan rival, Brunello di Montalcino I agree up to a point. But I'd still put a note on good humble chianti, like M&S's excellent own-label, as a partner to refreshing, just-enough-tart tomato pasta.

Fontodi Filetta di Lamole Chianti Classico, Italy 2019, from £25, AG Vins The Chianti Classico Consorzio has sought to showcase the nuances of its various sub-regions. The hope is that Chianti drinkers will soon be able to savor the variety of styles on offer in the 11 "additional geographical units" spread across the 70,000 hectare vineyard of Chianti Classico. One of the driving forces behind this move is Giovanni Manetti, who is both president of the Consorzio and one of the region's top winemakers at his family's organic estate, Fontodi. Manetti's transparent style, which emphasizes the purity of the fruit, is well suited to express the character of the different zones. With its fragrant floral notes, fine texture and racy cherry and raspberry, the Filetta di Lamole, for example, is a pristine snapshot of the high-altitude, steeply sloping area of ​​Lamole.

Fattoria Rodáno Chianti Classico, Italy 2018, £18, The Good Wine Shop Most of Fontodi's vineyards are in the Conca d'Oro (Golden Shell), a south-facing amphitheater in another of the 11 areas of Chianti, Panzano. Fontodi's superb 2019 Chianti Classico (£24.99, noblegrape.co.uk), from Panzano, has more power than the Lamole wine. Regardless of the area, the primary factor shaping the style of Chianti Classico is the varietal, Sangiovese, which can be blended with up to 20% other grapes. In the low-lying area of ​​Castellina, traditional-minded producer Rodano adds 5% each of the local red varieties canaiolo and colorino to his wonderfully flavorful and tangy blood orange Chianti Classico. Other producers prefer to play with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Bordeaux, but these are varieties with a strong personality that can sometimes clash with Sangiovese.

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