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By Harriet Lembeck The Black Rooster is Crowing I f you thought you knew the laboratory regulations, has 12.5% minimum alcohol, and difference between Chianti must be aged for 2 years. The top of the pyramid is the and Chianti Classico, think new Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, which is the equivaagain. The DOCG decree of lent of "estate bottled," using a winery's own grapes. These 1996 issued two distinct sets of wines must be aged for a minimum of 30 months (2? production regulations, wine years), of which 3 months must be in the bottle before zones, and Consorzia for release, and have 13% minimum alcohol. The tasting and Chianti and Chianti Classico. laboratory regulations are even stricter than those for Riserva. This Gran Selezione will give status to estates and And further, in 2013, changes single vineyards, and is generating much excitewere approved for production regulations of just ment among producers. All of these three levChianti Classico. These have revamped the els must be declared in advance, meaning denomination. By now, the two areas, both that there will be a more deliberate selection of which are DOCGs, might just as well be of the grapes used in the final wine. two different countries. There is no overSpeaking of grapes, the main red lap. Further, if for any reason, a Chianti grape, as before, is Sangiovese, with a minClassico wine has to be declassified, it does imum of 80%. It may go all the way to not automatically become a Chianti. 100%. That leaves a maximum of 20% of Chianti Classico is calling itself, "The "other" red grapes, which may be indigeNew Chianti Classico." You will have to do The black rooster, only used for Chianti nous and/or international. Chianti, on the a little studying yourself to sort this out, so Classico. other hand, has a minimum of just 70% you can explain all this to your customers. Chianti Classico has always been defined as the zone Sangiovese, and the remaining 30% may contain 15% between the provinces of Florence and Siena, since 1716. international varieties, meaning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chianti surrounds the Classico zone, and may have wines friends, and 10% white varieties. FYI, there are no white designated from Colli (hills) Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, grapes permitted in Chianti Classico. The black rooster symbol has been around since Colline Pisane, Colli Aretini, Montalbano, Rufina (not the brand 'Ruffino') and Montespertoli. Wines from these medieval times, but is noted for the historic date of 1716, specific areas have strict production methods and require- when the Chianti Classico zone became official. It has ments and have reduced permitted yields. "Chianti flown in and out of the region, especially with the arrival Superiore" has the smallest permitted yields. Riserva is used of DOC and DOCG laws in the 1960s, which could guarantee consistency to the wines of the region. For a for the best vintages. Do not overlook these wines. Chianti Classico, however, has gone even further, while the rooster represented all of Chianti, including and has just developed a new "quality pyramid," concern- the classical zone, but now it belongs only to Chianti ing grape varieties, yields, vineyards and aging. At the Classico. Chianti wines around the classical zone are base of the pyramid is Chianti Classico Annata, or wine marked with a stylized "C." At a tasting of Chianti Classicos, I tasted wines that of the vintage, which must be aged for 1 year, and have at least 12% alcohol. The Riserva has more tasting and were predominantly Sangiovese, and others that had approximately 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot. Harriet Lembeck, CWE*, CSS** hlembeck@mindspring.com The purists prefer the wines with Sangiovese and a little is a prominent wine and spirits educator. She is president of of other indigenous grapes – Caniolo, Colorino, etc. the renowned Wine & Spirits Program, and revised and There is no doubt that the international grapes brighten updated the textbook Grossman's Guide to Wines, Beers the wine in both aroma and flavor. This also reduces the and Spirits. She was the Director of the Wine Department glamour of IGT category, which got a lot of attention for The New School University for 18 years. (*Certified when international varieties were used. Now that same Wine Educator, **Certified Specialist of Spirits) attention is focused back on Chianti Classico. I 10 • Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • May/June 2013