The Candle in the Bottle. How Chianti Hit Rock Bottom. Then Fixed Itself.
Andi Healey
Web Manager
Andi
My earliest wine memory isn't a taste at all.
I was a small boy at my uncle's house, and on the sideboard sat a straw-covered bottle with a red candle stuck in the neck and wax dribbling down the sides. It was Chianti, and probably not very good, though I didn't know that then. I just knew the bottle was far more interesting than anything else in the dining room, and almost as interesting as the gleaming, green Jaguar Mark II my uncle had parked outside.
The wine has come a long way since then.
Chianti is built around Sangiovese from the hills of central Tuscany, and that one grape is responsible for everything: the cherry-and-tomato-leaf flavour, the acidity, and the way it behaves at a dinner table.
Chianti is also a wine with a labelling problem. There are two denominations, with completely different rules, and that straw-covered flask in its history that did the reputation no favours.
This is the short, sensible guide, with a proper look at what to eat with it.
- Chianti is built around Sangiovese's high acidity, firm tannin, sour cherry and savoury, earthy edge. That structure is why it suits food so well
- Chianti and Chianti Classico are separate denominations. Chianti needs at least 70% Sangiovese. Chianti Classico needs at least 80%, bans white grapes, and comes from the historic heartland between Florence and Siena
- Classico has three tiers: Annata, Riserva and Gran Selezione. They differ in ageing and fruit sourcing, and the label tells you which you've got
- Gran Selezione was introduced in 2014. It must be made from estate-grown grapes, and from the 2027 vintage it will need at least 90% Sangiovese
- The black rooster (Gallo Nero) on the neck means the producer belongs to the Classico consortium
- Tomato, grilled meat, ragù and hard cheese are the classic partners. Serve it just below room temperature, in a glass that keeps the acidity and fruit in balance
What is Chianti?
Chianti is is built around Sangiovese, the grape has thin skins, bright acidity and plenty of tannin. In the glass that means red cherry, sour plum, dried herbs and a savoury edge, sometimes with leather or tobacco in older bottles.
It's a red that behaves a bit like a white at the table. The acidity does the work that a squeeze of lemon would do, cutting through fat and richness and refreshing the palate. That's the reason Chianti and Italian food get along so well.
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Buy NowChianti and Chianti Classico Are Not the Same Thing
Both gained DOCG status in 1984, and Classico was split off into its own separate denomination in 1996. The difference is meaningful.
Chianti DOCG is the broad denomination, covering a large part of Tuscany. It requires at least 70% Sangiovese, with a little white grape still permitted. It also has seven subzones. Of these, Rufina, in the Apennine foothills east of Florence, has the strongest reputation.
Chianti Classico DOCG is the historic heartland between Florence and Siena. It needs at least 80% Sangiovese, and white grapes are not allowed at all. The wines tend to have more structure, and the bottle carries the black rooster.
Neither is automatically better. Chianti is often the fresher, easier bottle for a weeknight, and a good Rufina can be excellent.
But if you want the classic expression, Classico is where to look.
Reading a Chianti Classico Label
Classico has three tiers, and they're easier to remember than they look.
There are two recent changes worth knowing about. The first is the introduction of 11 Additional Geographical Units, known as UGAs, such as Castellina, Radda, Gaiole and Panzano. These can now appear on Gran Selezione labels, much like a village name on a Burgundy bottle. The second is that from the 2027 vintage, Gran Selezione will need at least 90% Sangiovese, with only native red varieties making up the rest.
A Short History
The region was among the first to have a defined boundary. Cosimo III de' Medici marked out the original production zone in 1716, and the black rooster has been its emblem ever since. The legend goes that Florence and Siena settled a border dispute by sending a rider out, from each city at the first crow of a rooster, and where they met would be the boundary. The Florentines kept their black rooster so hungry that it crowed well before dawn, and so Florence set off earlier, travelled further and got the larger share of the land.
In the 1870s, Baron Bettino Ricasoli set down a recipe of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and a little white Malvasia. Over the next century, as demand grew and the rules slackened, quality slid, and the straw-covered flask (the fiasco) became shorthand for cheap, thin Chianti.
Then some producers abandoned the rules completely.
Wines such as Sassicaia and Tignanello, made with Cabernet in the blend and labelled as simple table wine, became the first Super Tuscans.
These were the result of ambitious Italian winemakers wanting to produce wines that were of the same quality as the top wines from around the world, in contrast to the very average ones which had been common in the region.
This had a profound influence on quality-minded growers across the whole of Italy and in a couple of decades, the move had been made from bulk wine of no distinction to wines that are lauded around the world.
Modern Chianti bears almost no resemblance to its 1960s reputation.
What Chianti Tastes Like
Ruby red rather than deep purple in the glass, with red cherry, sour plum, tomato leaf, dried herbs and sometimes violet on the nose.
On the palate it's dry, with lively acidity and tannin that grips without being heavy. Older Riserva and Gran Selezione can bring tobacco, leather, earth and dried fruit.
What to Eat With Chianti
The principle is simple. Sangiovese brings acidity and tannin, so it wants food with fat, salt, protein or acidity of its own. Tomato matches the wine's acidity rather than flattening it, fat softens the tannin, and salt makes the fruit taste riper. Most of the classic Tuscan dishes follow that logic, which isn't a coincidence, because the wine and the food grew up together.
Tomato and Pasta
The obvious starting point, and obvious for good reason. A tomato sauce has plenty of acidity, and a wine without it will taste flat alongside. Chianti has enough to stand up to it.
- Slow-cooked ragù, where the richness of the meat softens the tannin
- Wild boar ragù (pappardelle al cinghiale), the Tuscan classic and a very good match for a Riserva
- Lasagne and baked pasta, where the cheese and béchamel add the fat the wine likes
- A simple tomato and basil pasta, which is where a young, fresh Annata is at its best
Grilled and Roast Meat
Tannin loves protein. The proteins in meat bind to it and soften the grip, which leaves the fruit and acidity to carry the wine.
- Bistecca alla fiorentina, the thick T-bone grilled over hot coals and served rare, is the dish most closely tied to the region. A Riserva or Gran Selezione suits it best
- Peposo, a slow-cooked beef stew from near Florence, made with black pepper and plenty of red wine
- Roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, where the herbal notes in the wine echo the herbs on the plate
- Porchetta and roast pork, where the fat and salt are easily handled by the acidity
- Roast chicken, if you want something gentler. Choose a lighter Annata or a Chianti from Rufina.
Pizza, Charcuterie and Antipasti
Salt and fat are the friends of this wine. Cured meats and tomato-topped bases are the easiest pairings you'll find.
Cheese
Go for hard, aged and salty rather than soft and creamy. The tannin tends to clash with very creamy textures.
Vegetables, Beans and Autumn Cooking
Chianti is a better autumn wine than people give it credit for, because earthy, savoury food brings out the earthy side of Sangiovese.
Matching by Style
What to Avoid
- Very spicy food. Heat makes tannin taste harsher and more bitter
- Delicate fish. The wine will simply overpower it
- Very sweet sauces. They make the wine taste thin and sour
- Rich, creamy cheeses. The texture clashes with the tannin
The Right Glass
Chianti's appeal is acidity and savoury fruit, and the glass should keep those in balance. A bowl that's tall but slightly tapered towards the rim gives the aromas room to open up and then channels them towards your nose, rather than letting the alcohol take over.
Serve it just below room temperature, around 16 to 18°C. Too warm and it turns soft and jammy, and too cold makes the tannin more severe. A young Annata benefits from half an hour in a decanter, and a Riserva or Gran Selezione will take longer.
All this brings me back to my uncle's dining room. I know now that the bottle was a fiasco (Really! That's what they're called), and that the wine that had been inside was most likely nothing special.
Still, it's where it started.
There, and his green 1960 Jaguar Mark II, which looked great in the reflected candlelight.
These days the candle goes in a proper holder, the bottle is a decent Riserva, and the wine has earned its place at the table.
I'd like to think my uncle would approve, though I suspect he'd still be more interested in the car.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico?
They're separate denominations. Chianti is the broader one, with a minimum of 70% Sangiovese. Classico covers the historic heartland, needs at least 80% Sangiovese and bans white grapes.
What does the black rooster mean?
It marks a wine from a member of the Chianti Classico consortium, so it will be a Classico.
Is Riserva always better than Annata?
Not necessarily. Riserva has longer ageing and often more depth, but a fresh Annata can be the better match for everyday food.
Does Chianti age well?
Annata is made for the first few years. Riserva and Gran Selezione can develop for a decade or more in a good vintage.
Does Chianti need decanting?
A little. Half an hour for a young bottle is enough to soften the edges, and older wines need more care.
What can I drink if I can't find Chianti?
Look for other Sangiovese-based reds, such as Rosso di Montalcino or Morellino di Scansano.
Give Chianti the Glass It Deserves
A well-shaped red wine glass keeps the fruit and acidity in balance.
Explore Chianti Glasses
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