Chianti Wine

Chianti Wine is the name of the wine that is produced in Chianti, a traditional region of Tuscany, Italy. It is one of the most famous red wines of Italy. In the earlier times, the wine used to come in signature squat bottles, which were enclosed in straw baskets, called fiasco. However, the trend started waning with time and today, only few wine makers use the squat bottles for Chianti wine, rather it is bottled in traditionally shaped wine bottles. Chianti wine is available in a wide price range, from the low-end ones to the more sophisticated ones. Chianti is best consumed at room temperature, technically "cellar" temperature, and can last up to 10 years. Given below is more information on Chianti wines.

 

Till the mid-19^th century, Chianti wine was made only from Sangiovese grapes. It was around the second half of the 19^th century that Baron Bettino Ricasoli, then Minister in Tuscany and Prime Minister in the Kingdom of Italy, made some alteration in the ingredients used. He imposed that the wine will have 70 percent Sangiovese grapes, 15 percent Canaiolo grapes and 15 percent Malvasia bianca grapes (white grapes). Around the 1970s, the quantity of the white grapes started being reduced. In 1995, it was made illegal to produce Chianti with 100 percent Sangiovese or at least without the white grapes. As of today, for a wine to be called Chianti, it should have at least 80 percent Sangiovese grapes.

 

Types of Chianti Wine