The Chianti road

Chianti is the name of the territory that has been producing classic Chianti wine for centuries..
It is part of Tuscany, bordered to the north by Florence, to the east by the Chianti Mountains, to the south by the city of Siena and to the west by the Pesa- and Elsa Valley..

Chianti is a land rich in tradition, influenced over the centuries by Etruscans and later by the Romans..
Especially the Etruscans already cultivated the vineyards..

In the Middle Ages, the Chianti region was the scene of continuous battles between the cities of Florence and Siena..
During these times, monasteries, castles and bastions were built, which in later, more peaceful times were turned into museums or even private villas..

The first notarial document mentioning the name Chianti referring to the wine produced in this area goes back to 1398 and already in the 17th century, the export of wine to England is documented..

Even today most of the farms and wineries that still produce the famous wine, but also have a second mainstay in agritourism, date back to these epochs..


The ´capitals´ of the Chianti region are the cities of Florence and Siena, the area between these two provinces: 70,000 hectares, in which the municipalities of Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti, Radda in Chianti and the municipalities of Barberino Val d´Elsa, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonsi, San Casciano in Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa are included in full..
The wine region of Chianti was demarcated in 1932 by a Ministerialdekrets and since then, the borders remain unchanged.. The decree defined the area of ​​production of the classic Chianti wine as ´region of the most ancient origin´, awarded him a first birth certificate and thus recognized him a distinctive territorial uniqueness..
Classic means ´the first´, the ´originals´..

Chianti makes up one third of Tuscany..

Chianti Classico Area

It is bordered to the north by the suburbs of Florence, to the east by the Chianti Mountains, to the south by Siena and to the west by the valleys of the Pesa and Elsa Rivers.. It is the heartland of the Chianti region.. A 70 km long wine route (the ´Via Chiantigiana´, SS 222) connects the two major cities and leads through a magnificent cultural landscape.. On the road are many well-known wine places strung like a string of pearls.. Only one tenth of the very wooded area (altogether approx. 70,000 hectares) is used for viticulture.. The Gallo Nero (= ´Black Rooster´) is the hallmark of Chianti Classico wines.. The Consorzio del Marchio Storico Chianti Classico ensures compliance with the rules of good Chianti..

Well-known wine villages (of the Chianti-Classico area)

Barberino Val d´Elsa
Tignano is a lovely village with a small castle overlooking Barberino and Tavanelle Val d´Or Elsa..
Castellina in Chianti
Worth Seeing: The Palazzo Ugolino Fortress and the necropolis of an Etruscan hilltop on Monte Calvario
Castelnuovo Berardenga
Gaiole in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Panzano
Poggibonsi
Radda in Chianti:
* The piazza with town hall, loggias and fountains is one of the atmospheric places of Chianti.. Radda is an ideal starting point for wine lovers as it is centrally located in the heart of the Chianti classico and the most famous wineries are easily accessible from here.. In Radda also the historical brand of Chianti Classico wine (gallo nero) was developed and founded the wine cooperative in the 19th century.. Worth seeing are the many small towns in the area of ​​the community..
San Casciano in Val di Pesa still has a preserved city wall..

Well-known wine of the rest of Chianti

Montalcino
Montepulciano
San Gimignano


~womo66~fritz14~fritz~, 2008-09-02