This beautiful wine region was once known simply as Chianti (which you can see on the map above) and is framed by Florence to the north and Siena to the south in a timeless landscape of hilltop towns, ancient farmhouses, castles, dense forests, cypress trees, olive groves and vineyards.
Centuries of winemaking ancestry have left evidence of fine wines from the steep rocky slopes of three river valleys in the heart of Tuscany: the Val di Pesa, Val di Greve and Val d’Arbia, the area now known as Chianti Classico. La storia rivela secoli di aspri conflitti nella regione, a partire dal XII secolo, quando fu campo di battaglia tra le due città e, forse proprio a causa di questi conflitti territoriali, è stata mappata e rimappata con un buon grado di precisione. This mapping led to a rich understanding of the complexities of the area and in turn brought out an elaborate knowledge of soils and viticulture.
In 1716 Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici issued an edict outlining the boundaries of the region considered ideal for the production of high-quality wines, but it was not until 1924 that the Chianti Classico Consortium, also known as the “Black Rooster,” was established. The Consortium still thrives today, and we are proud to be a member of this group that not only coordinates regional marketing, but was also instrumental in the recognition of the Chianti Classico cultural landscape on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
If you would like to know how the Black Rooster became associated with our region, here is a short film worth watching https://leggenda.chianticlassico.com/. Those who want to learn more about the Chianti Classico region might appreciate Alessandro Masnaghetti’s wonderful new book “Chianti Classico: the complete atlas of UGA vineyards”: https://www.enogea.it/en/product/chianti-classico-the-atlas.
