Chianti: A Land and Its Wine
For a wine to retain the name of Chianti, it must be produced with at least 75% of Sangiovese grapes - a species of grapes cultivated all over Italy but originating from Tuscany, and especially from Chianti. The "Chianti recipe" may include also other local red (Canaiolo and Colorino) or white grapes (Malvasia and Trebbiano), as well as foreign grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
As a warranty for quality, the Italian law clearly identifies the areas where it is produced, the grapes that can be used and the rules to be followed in the wine-making process and refinement. Since 1984, Chianti is a DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita - Controlled designation of origin, a quality assurance label) wine. It can be produced in a vast area of central Tuscany, which is divided in several sub-zones: "Colli Aretini" (in the province of Arezzo to the east), "Colli Fiorentini" (located south of Florence), "Colli Senesi" (south of Chianti Classico in the Siena hills), "Colline Pisane" (it is the westernmost area and is located in the province of Pisa), "Montalbano" (in the province of Pistoia), "Montespertoli" (located within the Colli Fiorentini around the town of Montespertoli) and "Rufina" (in the north-eastern part of the area located around the town of Rufina).
Since 1996, the name Chianti Classico DOCG indicates the wine produced in a very specific area of the Chianti region, namely the one in which Chianti was first produced, which includes the territories of Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castellina in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Poggibonsi, Greve in Chianti, Barberino Val d`Elsa, San Casciano, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa.
In the past Chianti wine was associated with the "fiasco" (that is, flask), a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, and you could find always it on the table at meal time. Although trends have changed, Chianti wine has not lost its appeal. Remember: a wine can tell a lot about a territory and its inhabitants. A glass of Chianti wine sipped in the Chianti region while eating a traditional Tuscan dish in the garden of your rental farmhouse or villa in Chianti or in a trattoria... will certainly have a special taste!
Our most requested villas for vacation rentals:
Villa for holidays on the hills of the Florentine countryside. Accommodation for 12+2 people, garden, private swimming pool, hydro massage, Internet connection.
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Villa for rent in the countryside of Chianti, near Florence. Accommodation for 8/12 people, private swimming pool, outdoor whirlpool bath for 7, Internet connection, children's playground, air conditioning. Golf club, riding stable and tennis club within a few kilometres. Possibility of organising dinners and cooking lessons.
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Villa for vacation rental in Radda in Chianti, between Florence and Siena, in the Tuscan countryside. Accommodation for 10 people, garden, swimming pool, panoramic view, Internet connection.
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Villa with swimming pool for rent near Siena for holidays in Tuscany. Villa with accommodation for 4/6 people, panoramic view on Siena.
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