Chianti Classico: what the name actually tells you

Chianti and Chianti Classico are not two versions of the same wine. They are separate denominations, with separate rules, and the wines can taste quite different as a result.

Chianti Classico comes from the historic zone in the hills between Florence and Siena. Chianti, without the second word, covers a much larger area of Tuscany around it. Same family name, different address.

The Black Rooster

If a bottle is Chianti Classico, it carries the Black Rooster seal. It is the shared mark of the denomination rather than a badge belonging to any single estate, and it is the quickest visual way to know which zone you are holding.

Sangiovese is the point

Chianti Classico is a Sangiovese wine. For Annata and Riserva, Sangiovese must make up at least 80 per cent of the blend. For Gran Selezione the minimum rises to 90 per cent, and anything making up the remainder must be an indigenous red variety.

That is why the wines taste the way they do: sour cherry and red plum rather than dark jam, high acidity, dried herbs, and tannin that wants food.

Annata, Riserva and Gran Selezione, in plain English

• AnnataThe classic expression. At least 80 per cent Sangiovese and a minimum of 12 months maturation. Usually the freshest and most drinkable of the three.
• RiservaAt least 80 per cent Sangiovese, with a minimum of 24 months maturation including three months refining in bottle. Expect more depth and a little more grip.
• Gran SelezioneAt least 90 per cent Sangiovese, only indigenous red grapes for the rest, made from grapes grown on the estate's own vineyards, with a minimum of 30 months including three months in bottle.

What style to expect

Across all three tiers the signature is the same: medium colour, bright acidity, red fruit, a savoury and often herbal undertone, and a finish that is dry and slightly firm rather than plush.

As you move up the tiers, the wines tend to gain concentration, texture and the sort of tertiary character that comes with time. They rarely gain sweetness or weight for its own sake.

How to choose between them

The tiers describe maturation and origin, not a simple ladder of quality. A well made Annata from a good producer will beat a dull Gran Selezione every time.

• Weeknight dinner, tomato based pasta, roast chicken: Annata.
• Something slower cooked, or a Sunday table with cheese to follow: Riserva.
• A steak, a special occasion, or a bottle you would like to keep for a few years: Gran Selezione.