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Wine Tours in South Chianti Classico region of Tuscany, Italy. |
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Southward along the Black Rooster Road It’s a word familiar to those who are passionate about wine, and even to a great many who are not. In fact, it’s the fourth most-recognized Italian word. The word is Chianti. And we’ve dedicated two whole tours to it, so beautiful is the land from which it comes. Chianti is historically linked with the production of wine, and the area stretches from Sienna in the south to Florence in the north, the Chianti Mountains in the east and the valleys of the Pesa and Elsa rivers in the East. It’s a vast land, in the heart of Tuscany, and the wine it produces is a jewel among Tuscan wines. But not all wines of this region are Chianti wines, and not all Chianti wines can lay claim to the appellation “Classico”. The Chianti Classico is something special. The term “Classico” has the implication of old or original, and the wines that carry this distinguishing appendage are produced in an area delimited by Ministerial decree in 1932 and which has remained unchanged since then. The Chianti Classico is a blended wine, and the rules were formulated as far back as 1874 by Barone Bettino Ricasoli, one time Prime Minister of Italy, and, more importantly from the point of view of wine history, the owner of Brolio Castle and estates in this region, known for the production of this variety of wine. It is a blend of two reds and one or two whites - Sangiovese (75-95%), Cannailo (5-10%), Malvasia and/or Trebbiano (2-5%). The Riserva is made from the better grapes and kept in small French oak barriques for an extra year. On an average, thirty-one million bottles are produced every year. It has a minimum alcoholic content of 12%. The soul of the Chianti Classico is the Sangiovese, contributing 80 to 95 percent of its ingredients. This grape changes its characteristics depending on the soil it grows on and the climate at the vineyards, and hence the difference in the way different Chianti Classicos taste. The 7000-hectare Chianti Classico area has soils ranging from sandstone to calcareous to volcanic. While sandstone gives the wine a flowery bouquet, you think of wild berries when you taste the wine grown in calcareous soil, and the volcanic soil lends it an odour of tobacco. The common factor is a scent of violets. The wine makers of the region grouped together to form a consortium in 1924, and chose for themselves the symbol of a black rooster, borrowing it from the Chianti Leauge comprising the towns of Castellina, Radda, Giaole - front line garrisons for Florence in the ancient war between it and Siena The Chianti Classico DOCG is being produced in the counties of Greve, Castellina, Radda and Gaiole in Chianti. It is to taste this gem of a wine, ruby red to garnet, that we take you on the South Chianti Classic Tour. It is an incredibly beautiful landscape where rows of cypress trees give way to vineyards. Small villages dot this area, full of fairytale charm, where ancient traditions are respected. The tour will start at 9.30 am from your hotel or villa in Siena or elsewhere in the province. We drive to the Brolio castle, one of the oldest of the area, erstwhile home of Barone Bettino Ricasoli and in the Ricasoli family for a long time. After taking in the sights there, our next stop is a small winery that produces Chianti Classico. Here, you will get to see the old cellar and learn how they make their wine, apart from enjoying a wine tasting ceremony as well as a taste of extra virgin olive oil. On we will go again, driving on unpaved streets, between vineyards and olive groves, till we come to Radda, a charming medieval town. Stretch your legs, take a nice walk up to the highest spot, from where you can catch your breath at the beauty of the Chianti area. Lunch will be at the medieval town of Gaiole, at a restaurant where you’ll get to taste typical Tuscan dishes made with authentic ingredients. Savour the homemade pasta with fresh tomatoes and brochette with garlic and extra virgin olive oil, with vegetable soup for starters and some excellent grilled meat too. After lunch we will go on to another medieval village, Vertine, where we will stop at a small winery that produces Riserva, SuperTuscan and Chardonnay. Another private tasting of extra virgin olive oil and wine will be held to round off your day, before we return you to your hotel or villa at around 5 p.m. Price per person
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