Chianti superstar

Chianti superstar
Toscana
Vino
Magazine: February 2008

However, around Chianti there was too much confusion and the risk was to have, not the right dose of diversity to make the wine appealing, but a type of “non identity”. The only way to put Chianti fi rmly back in the limelight is to make Sangiovese the star. It is this odd and harsh vine, great when it is at its best that is the true imprint of Chianti. The rebirth of Sangiovese, which thanks to selections is intense in colour with a vast range of bouquets, has retained its freshness and enabled the other Chianti’s to recuperate some market share on the strength of an improved quality and a reacquired personality. Like this it will be possible to read the history of Chianti like a book of the Tuscan identity, where every appellation is a history. Written by different hands but with just one verse: the poem of Sangiovese!

Probably the right reply is:know and recognise them.So we have gone back overthe Chianti trails to exploresome different tasting itinerariesand territorial links. High qualityis everywhere but legitimateChianti asks for more: it asksto narrate history…becauseit has had a millennium voyage,because in the glassI see refl ections of profi lesthat have changed the world.In Sant’Andrea in Percussinaclose to Florence, “home”of Chianti Classico, I stroll alongwith Niccolò Machiavelli.This stone building washis retreat; here he composedthe opening lines of Principe.A more enchanting locationdoes not exist: the vinesand the castle still invite leadone to believe that BettinoRicasoli will step from behindthe cypresses, the man whodid everything in his powerto construct the nuova Italia.While in exile, he wrote thecommandments for this timelesswine. Not only tasters ortechnicians know best. Historycounts. Recognising this helpsus to confi rm that maybeall the prizes and classifi cationshide the true value of this wineunder a blanket of mediocrity.A value that is morein the testimony and not in themere gratifi cation of the senses.

«Long live genuine wines,which gladden our thoughts anddrown bad humour in blissfulintoxication». Relistening to“Cavalleria Rusticana” it is easyto imagine Targioni Terzettiand Pietro Mascagni intenton putting the fi nishing touchesto this act. We can envisagethem with a glass of Sangiovese,obviously Chianti, rewritingthe last aria. For this generousand genuine wine it is no longertime for deceit: neither on thequality, the origin or the price.Today, faced with a vast rangeof labels, of costs that go froma few euros to dizzying heightswe risk being unableto recognise this wine.They are all called Chianti.But the appellations are at least10; the production areas areClassico (between Florence andSiena), the Colli Pisani, the ColliFiorentini, the Colli Aretini,the Colli Senesi, Montalbano(between Florence and Pistoia),Montespertoli (close to Florence)and Rufi na. Then we havethe basic wines, the superiorand the reserves. A completeuniverse where it is easy to loseone’s way. Especially when thewines all become homogenous.We are not able to graspthe territorial diversitiesor justify the price differences.From the 19th to 20th Februaryin the Stazione Leopolda,Florence, the Anteprimadel Chianti Classico will be held.Offering the recently fermentedvintage and the onein commerce. And when thismeeting has been accomplishedwill the questions still behanging in the air: whichis the real Chianti? Is it amongstthe large choice on sale?Do we consider only the price?Explore all the typesjust out of curiosity?Just follow the labels?