Understanding the difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico wine and the regions they come from

When you think of iconic Italian wine regions and their leading wines, Tuscany and Chianti Classico are certainly strong contenders for the top position.

The breathtakingly beautiful Tuscany in central Italy does not need much introduction. The area bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea with its gently rolling hills dotted with stunning medieval towns, and its meticulously curated vineyards, olives groves, cypresses, and oak trees, is certainly one of the most popular destinations to visit globally. Alongside its sheer beauty, part of this popularity is undoubtedly down to the amazing local food and wine.

Can you picture yourself sitting at a table overlooking the bucolic landscape with a plate of delicious pasta or perhaps the famous local Bistecca Fiorentina, and a glass of Chianti Classico?

Wouldn’t that be a fantastic trip to make?

If you won’t be able to go anytime soon, there should be a wine shop somewhere near you shelving wines from Tuscany to take home instead. Though there is a range of great wines made in Tuscany, most likely, it will be a Chianti or Chianti Classico.

But what are those wines and what is the point in making a difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico? Which of the two is the better wine – the one with the Classico addition (as it sounds more special)? Should the regional distinction have an impact on your travel itineraries when visiting Tuscany?

This article will help you to better navigate the Chianti and Chianti Classico regions in Tuscany, understanding the differences in the production of Chianti and Chianti Classico wine, highlight the leading wineries of both areas, and provide some food pairing suggestions.

A brief history of winemaking in Tuscany, and how the Chianti wine region took shape

Before diving into the differences of Chianti and Chianti Classico (the region and the wines), let’s have a quick look at the history of winemaking in Tuscany.

Winegrowing in Tuscany goes back to the Etruscans, who settled in the area in the 8th century BC. It’s believed that they had brought vines with them from Asia, and Tuscany turned out to be the perfect area to grow them. Winemaking became indeed the most important part of Etruscan culture. So much so that the area was referred to as ‘the land of wines’.

From the early beginning of winegrowing, it took several centuries, and various changes of rulership, before in the 12th century winemaking in Tuscany became more regulated, and the area that we know today as Chianti started to take shape.

During this time, the region was ruled by different influential noble families who continued to fight about land ownership. In the 13th century, the cities of Florence and Siena decided to end their dispute about ownership of the Chianti region by way of a horse race. Both cities would send of a knight on horseback from each city, with the ride to start at the first crow of the rooster. The new city-boundaries would then be set where the two knights would meet. A few days ahead of the race, the city of Siena picked a white rooster and kept it well fed. Florence went with a black rooster and did not feed it for a few days. On the day of the ride, the black rooster was taken out of its box and feed early, and it promptly started to crow, well ahead of dawn. Hence, the Florentine knight started his race much earlier than his counterpart from Siena. This meant, he covered much more terrain, and the two met at the Castle of Fonterutoli in Castellina in Chianti, only around 20 kilometres outside of Siena. Thus, it was Florence that now controlled much of the Chianti, and the black rooster would become the symbol of the area.

At the end of the 13th century, the Chianti League was created in Florence, a predominantly political-military union that guarded the territory of the region. The League, which chose the black rooster as their coat of arms, also issued the first regulations on the wines produced in the areas of Castellina, Gaiole, and Radda.

Finally, in 1716 Grand Duke Cosimo III de Medici issued the Declaration of Borders of the four Regions of Chianti, Pomino, Carmignano, and Val D’Arno di Sopra in which he established rules for the correct production of the wines produced in each of the regions.

Included in the winemaking rules of the time were also the exact borders of each of the regions. For the Chianti, the area was described as stretching from Spedaluzzo to Greve, from Greve to Panzano, including the towns of Gajole, Castellina, and Radda, and from there to the borders of Siena. The rules further set out that all wine made outside of this specific area were not allowed to be called Chianti.

The difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico explained

Chianti and Chianti Classico (the region and the wines) are often considered to be the same. The truth is they are not.

This might not matter that much when visiting the area. Many amazing places including medieval towns like Siena, San Gimignano, San Miniato (the Chianti’s truffle hotspot), and Montalcino are spread across the wider Chianti area. So, you want not to limit yourself to stick to the historic Chianti Classico boundaries.

That said, the Chianti is a vast area, and it takes time to drive the small rural roads to explore the areas further away from Florence and Siena. If you are travelling to the Chianti for the first time, your best option would be to start in Florence and then venture more or less into the historic Chianti Classico area.

Where the difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico become more meaningful, however, are the wines made in each of the region. Let’s have a closer look what sets them apart.

The historic boundaries of the Chianti wine region are aligned to today’s Chianti Classico denomination. However, vineyard areas have expanded beyond these borders for a long time and in 1932 a new Chiani wine region was defined, divided into eight sub-regions:

• Chianti Classico – the historic Chianti region between Florence and Siena
• Colli Aretini – the hills to the east of the historic Chianti Classico area stretching southwards from Florence towards Arezzo
• Colli Fiorentini – the southern hills starting just outside of Florence, to the west and east of the historic Chianti Classico region
• Colli Senesi – the hills surrounding Siena in the southern part of the Chiani
• Colline Pisane – the hills southwest of Pisa close to the sea
• Montalbano – the Montalbano hills surrounding Pistoia to the northwest of Florence
• Montespertoli – the hills surrounding the town of Montespertoli to the southwest of Florence
• Rufina – the hills close to Rufina to the east of Florence, considered to be the most prestigious Chianti subzone after Chianti Classico.

In 1967, the whole Chianti (then still including Chianti Classico as a subzone) was awarded DOC status, and in 1984 was elevated to DOCG status, the highest level in the Italian wine classification.

Meanwhile, in 1996 the Chianti Classico was recognized as a separate region and granted its own DOCG appellation.

The exiting part is whether you buy a bottle of Chianti or Chianti Classico, you are in for an exciting taste experience in any case. And while the Classico area is considered the prime region, a Chianti wine from any of the other subzones is not per se an inferior wine. It will simply be made according to different production rules relative to the Chianti Classico. While it is also worth noting that some differences in production rules also exist between the seven different subzones of the Chianti itself.

What is Chianti Classico

Chianti Classico is the oldest and most central part of Tuscany’s historic winegrowing region, located between the cities of Florence and Siena. The area includes some of the best-known towns in Tuscany, including Castellina, Gaiole, Greve and Radda.

And off course, the Chianti Classico area is also home to some of the most renown wineries located in Tuscany. Some of them are dating back centuries, including such historic names like Antinori, Castello di Ama, Castello di Brolio (Ricasoli), Castello di Fonterutoli, and Villa il Pozzo.

Formerly a subzone of the larger Chianti region, in 1996 Chianti Classico was granted its own DOCG appellation. The area is defined (at least more or less) by the historic boundaries established by Cosimo III.

Chianti Classico wines, therefore, can be made exclusively in the Chianti Classico DOC appellation, and they must follow the strict appellation rules to be called Chianti Classico.

According to appellation rules, Chianti Classico must be made with a minimum of 80% Sangiovese grapes and can contain a maximum of 20% of other permitted red grapes.

Permitted grapes include the lesser-known local varieties Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Malvasia Nera, Mammolo, and Pugnitello along with international varieties such Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.

The wines can be sold at the earliest at approximately 12 months, on October 1st following the year of the grape harvest.

There are three classifications of Chianti Classico, including:

• Chianti Classico (Annata): The most basic of the Chianti Classico wines following the minimum standards set out above.
• Chianti Classico Riserva: Requires minimum aging of 24 months, including three months of bottle aging.
• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: This category requires the wine to be made with a minimum of 90% Sangiovese grapes. All grapes must come from a winery’s own vineyards and the wines must be aged for a minimum of 30 months, including three months of bottle aging. It must be made to even stricter quality standards relative to the other two Chianti Classico classifications and is only allowed to be sold as Gran Selezione after a suitability test by authorized bodies and a special tasting committee.

Examples of great Chianti Classico wines include:

• Castello di Ama Chianti Classico
• Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico
• Isole e Olena Chianti Classico
• Fonterutoli Chianti Classico
• Ricasoli Chianti Classico
• Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico
• Fontodi Chianti Classico

What is Chianti

Outside of the historic Chianti Classico area, there are around 20,000 hectares of vineyards in the broader Chianti DOCG region. The Chianti wine region stretches across the provinces of Arezzo, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena, and is divided into seven subzones (see above), excluding the Chianti Classico area which has its own DOCG status.

Chianti DOCG must be made with a minimum of 70% of Sangiovese grapes. The remaining 30% can contain the same red varieties allowed in the production of Chianti Classico. In addition, different to Chianti Classico, Chianti DOCG wines are still allowed to be made with the addition of a maximum of 10% of white Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes.

Chianti DOCG wines can be sold on March 1st following the year of the harvest and thus significantly younger if compared to Chianti Classico.

Chianti DOCG today consists of three subcategories:

• Chianti: Grapes can be harvested and blended from any location within the Chianti DOCG. The wine must be aged for around one year.
• Chianti Superiore: Must be aged for a minimum of nine months, including a minimum of three months in the bottle.
• Chianti Riserva: Must be aged for a minimum of two years before release, including a minimum of three months in the bottle.

What food pairs best with Chianti and Chianti Classico

Both Chianti and Chianti Classico are wines with high acidity and thick tannins, and both are great wines for food.

Like usually, they pair greatly with local dishes, but they also work with a wider range of food.

Best food with Chianti and Chianti Classico

The most quintessential food pairing with both Chianti and Chianti Classico is Pizza, preferably a classic Margarita or pizza salame.

Chianti and Chianti Classico Annata also pair well with dishes such as tomato-based pasta, salsa verde, dishes with a strong olive oil component, and pecorino cheese.

The longer aged Chianti Classico Riserva and Gran Selezione will work very well with grilled meats such a s the iconic Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a steak from local grass-fed Chianina cattle, game (wild boar is a very popular dish in Tuscany), and roast lamb.

Where to visit in Chianti and Chianti Classico

If you are planning to visit the Chianti region in Tuscany, you are spoiled with a huge number of stunning medieval cities and towns, historic castles, monasteries and churches, excellent wineries, local food markets, and nearly endless hiking and biking trails. Both in the smaller Chianti Classico and the surrounding vaster Chianti DOCG areas.

So, where should you start?

This will depend on a few factors:

• The time you have for your visit
• The place (i.e. your hotel) from where to explore the area
• If you already have a list of your most preferred towns/wineries to visit

If you are visiting for the first time, I recommend starting your itinerary in the city of Florence and then slowly move into the Chianti Classico area. The main towns such as Castellina, Greve, and Radda along with the area’s leading wineries will keep you busy for days.

And if you have more time, there is no stopping you to venture further.

When you think of iconic Italian wine regions and their leading wines, Tuscany and Chianti Classico are certainly strong contenders for the top position.

The breathtakingly beautiful Tuscany in central Italy does not need much introduction. The area bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea with its gently rolling hills dotted with stunning medieval towns, and its meticulously curated vineyards, olives groves, cypresses, and oak trees, is certainly one of the most popular destinations to visit globally. Alongside its sheer beauty, part of this popularity is undoubtedly down to the amazing local food and wine.

Can you picture yourself sitting at a table overlooking the bucolic landscape with a plate of delicious pasta or perhaps the famous local Bistecca Fiorentina, and a glass of Chianti Classico?

Wouldn’t that be a fantastic trip to make?

If you won’t be able to go anytime soon, there should be a wine shop somewhere near you shelving wines from Tuscany to take home instead. Though there is a range of great wines made in Tuscany, most likely, it will be a Chianti or Chianti Classico.

But what are those wines and what is the point in making a difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico? Which of the two is the better wine – the one with the Classico addition (as it sounds more special)? Should the regional distinction have an impact on your travel itineraries when visiting Tuscany?

This article will help you to better navigate the Chianti and Chianti Classico regions in Tuscany, understanding the differences in the production of Chianti and Chianti Classico wine, highlight the leading wineries of both areas, and provide some food pairing suggestions.

A brief history of winemaking in Tuscany, and how the Chianti wine region took shape

Before diving into the differences of Chianti and Chianti Classico (the region and the wines), let’s have a quick look at the history of winemaking in Tuscany.

Winegrowing in Tuscany goes back to the Etruscans, who settled in the area in the 8th century BC. It’s believed that they had brought vines with them from Asia, and Tuscany turned out to be the perfect area to grow them. Winemaking became indeed the most important part of Etruscan culture. So much so that the area was referred to as ‘the land of wines’.

From the early beginning of winegrowing, it took several centuries, and various changes of rulership, before in the 12th century winemaking in Tuscany became more regulated, and the area that we know today as Chianti started to take shape.

During this time, the region was ruled by different influential noble families who continued to fight about land ownership. In the 13th century, the cities of Florence and Siena decided to end their dispute about ownership of the Chianti region by way of a horse race. Both cities would send of a knight on horseback from each city, with the ride to start at the first crow of the rooster. The new city-boundaries would then be set where the two knights would meet. A few days ahead of the race, the city of Siena picked a white rooster and kept it well fed. Florence went with a black rooster and did not feed it for a few days. On the day of the ride, the black rooster was taken out of its box and feed early, and it promptly started to crow, well ahead of dawn. Hence, the Florentine knight started his race much earlier than his counterpart from Siena. This meant, he covered much more terrain, and the two met at the Castle of Fonterutoli in Castellina in Chianti, only around 20 kilometres outside of Siena. Thus, it was Florence that now controlled much of the Chianti, and the black rooster would become the symbol of the area.

At the end of the 13th century, the Chianti League was created in Florence, a predominantly political-military union that guarded the territory of the region. The League, which chose the black rooster as their coat of arms, also issued the first regulations on the wines produced in the areas of Castellina, Gaiole, and Radda.

Finally, in 1716 Grand Duke Cosimo III de Medici issued the Declaration of Borders of the four Regions of Chianti, Pomino, Carmignano, and Val D’Arno di Sopra in which he established rules for the correct production of the wines produced in each of the regions.

Included in the winemaking rules of the time were also the exact borders of each of the regions. For the Chianti, the area was described as stretching from Spedaluzzo to Greve, from Greve to Panzano, including the towns of Gajole, Castellina, and Radda, and from there to the borders of Siena. The rules further set out that all wine made outside of this specific area were not allowed to be called Chianti.

The difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico explained

Chianti and Chianti Classico (the region and the wines) are often considered to be the same. The truth is they are not.

This might not matter that much when visiting the area. Many amazing places including medieval towns like Siena, San Gimignano, San Miniato (the Chianti’s truffle hotspot), and Montalcino are spread across the wider Chianti area. So, you want not to limit yourself to stick to the historic Chianti Classico boundaries.

That said, the Chianti is a vast area, and it takes time to drive the small rural roads to explore the areas further away from Florence and Siena. If you are travelling to the Chianti for the first time, your best option would be to start in Florence and then venture more or less into the historic Chianti Classico area.

Where the difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico become more meaningful, however, are the wines made in each of the region. Let’s have a closer look what sets them apart.

The historic boundaries of the Chianti wine region are aligned to today’s Chianti Classico denomination. However, vineyard areas have expanded beyond these borders for a long time and in 1932 a new Chiani wine region was defined, divided into eight sub-regions:

• Chianti Classico – the historic Chianti region between Florence and Siena
• Colli Aretini – the hills to the east of the historic Chianti Classico area stretching southwards from Florence towards Arezzo
• Colli Fiorentini – the southern hills starting just outside of Florence, to the west and east of the historic Chianti Classico region
• Colli Senesi – the hills surrounding Siena in the southern part of the Chiani
• Colline Pisane – the hills southwest of Pisa close to the sea
• Montalbano – the Montalbano hills surrounding Pistoia to the northwest of Florence
• Montespertoli – the hills surrounding the town of Montespertoli to the southwest of Florence
• Rufina – the hills close to Rufina to the east of Florence, considered to be the most prestigious Chianti subzone after Chianti Classico.

In 1967, the whole Chianti (then still including Chianti Classico as a subzone) was awarded DOC status, and in 1984 was elevated to DOCG status, the highest level in the Italian wine classification.

Meanwhile, in 1996 the Chianti Classico was recognized as a separate region and granted its own DOCG appellation.

The exiting part is whether you buy a bottle of Chianti or Chianti Classico, you are in for an exciting taste experience in any case. And while the Classico area is considered the prime region, a Chianti wine from any of the other subzones is not per se an inferior wine. It will simply be made according to different production rules relative to the Chianti Classico. While it is also worth noting that some differences in production rules also exist between the seven different subzones of the Chianti itself.

What is Chianti Classico

Chianti Classico is the oldest and most central part of Tuscany’s historic winegrowing region, located between the cities of Florence and Siena. The area includes some of the best-known towns in Tuscany, including Castellina, Gaiole, Greve and Radda.

And off course, the Chianti Classico area is also home to some of the most renown wineries located in Tuscany. Some of them are dating back centuries, including such historic names like Antinori, Castello di Ama, Castello di Brolio (Ricasoli), Castello di Fonterutoli, and Villa il Pozzo.

Formerly a subzone of the larger Chianti region, in 1996 Chianti Classico was granted its own DOCG appellation. The area is defined (at least more or less) by the historic boundaries established by Cosimo III.

Chianti Classico wines, therefore, can be made exclusively in the Chianti Classico DOC appellation, and they must follow the strict appellation rules to be called Chianti Classico.

According to appellation rules, Chianti Classico must be made with a minimum of 80% Sangiovese grapes and can contain a maximum of 20% of other permitted red grapes.

Permitted grapes include the lesser-known local varieties Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Malvasia Nera, Mammolo, and Pugnitello along with international varieties such Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.

The wines can be sold at the earliest at approximately 12 months, on October 1st following the year of the grape harvest.

There are three classifications of Chianti Classico, including:

• Chianti Classico (Annata): The most basic of the Chianti Classico wines following the minimum standards set out above.
• Chianti Classico Riserva: Requires minimum aging of 24 months, including three months of bottle aging.
• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: This category requires the wine to be made with a minimum of 90% Sangiovese grapes. All grapes must come from a winery’s own vineyards and the wines must be aged for a minimum of 30 months, including three months of bottle aging. It must be made to even stricter quality standards relative to the other two Chianti Classico classifications and is only allowed to be sold as Gran Selezione after a suitability test by authorized bodies and a special tasting committee.

Examples of great Chianti Classico wines include:

• Castello di Ama Chianti Classico
• Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico
• Isole e Olena Chianti Classico
• Fonterutoli Chianti Classico
• Ricasoli Chianti Classico
• Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico
• Fontodi Chianti Classico

What is Chianti

Outside of the historic Chianti Classico area, there are around 20,000 hectares of vineyards in the broader Chianti DOCG region. The Chianti wine region stretches across the provinces of Arezzo, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena, and is divided into seven subzones (see above), excluding the Chianti Classico area which has its own DOCG status.

Chianti DOCG must be made with a minimum of 70% of Sangiovese grapes. The remaining 30% can contain the same red varieties allowed in the production of Chianti Classico. In addition, different to Chianti Classico, Chianti DOCG wines are still allowed to be made with the addition of a maximum of 10% of white Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes.

Chianti DOCG wines can be sold on March 1st following the year of the harvest and thus significantly younger if compared to Chianti Classico.

Chianti DOCG today consists of three subcategories:

• Chianti: Grapes can be harvested and blended from any location within the Chianti DOCG. The wine must be aged for around one year.
• Chianti Superiore: Must be aged for a minimum of nine months, including a minimum of three months in the bottle.
• Chianti Riserva: Must be aged for a minimum of two years before release, including a minimum of three months in the bottle.

What food to pair with Chianti and Chianti Classico

Both Chianti and Chianti Classico are wines with high acidity and thick tannins, and both are great wines for food.

Like usually, they pair greatly with local dishes, but they also work with a wider range of food.

The most quintessential food pairing with both Chianti and Chianti Classico is Pizza, preferably a classic Margarita or pizza salame.

Chianti and Chianti Classico Annata also pair well with dishes such as tomato-based pasta, salsa verde, dishes with a strong olive oil component, and pecorino cheese.

The longer aged Chianti Classico Riserva and Gran Selezione will work very well with grilled meats such as the iconic Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a steak from local grass-fed Chianina cattle, game (wild boar is a very popular dish in Tuscany), and roast lamb.

Where to visit in Chianti and Chianti Classico

If you are planning to visit the Chianti region in Tuscany, you are spoiled with a huge number of stunning medieval cities and towns, historic castles, monasteries and churches, excellent wineries, local food markets, and nearly endless hiking and biking trails. Both in the smaller Chianti Classico and the surrounding vaster Chianti DOCG areas.

So, where should you start?

This will depend on a few factors:

• The time you have for your visit
• The place (i.e. your hotel) from where to explore the area
• If you already have a list of your most preferred towns/wineries to visit

If you are visiting for the first time, I recommend starting your itinerary in the city of Florence and then slowly move into the Chianti Classico area. The main towns such as Castellina, Greve, and Radda along with the area’s leading wineries will keep you busy for days.

And if you have more time, there is no stopping you to venture further.