The name Chianti Classico resonates time old Italian tradition and this year will mark 300 years of this fine wine. Happy Birthday Chianti! In 1716 Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici issued the territorial boundaries where Sangiovese grapes could grow and that is where Chianti Classico was born.
For 3 centuries Chianti Classico has sat on dinner tables throughout the world. Produced exclusively in Senese and Florentine areas which fall within Castellina in Chianti Comune, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Barberino Bal d’Elsa, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonsi, San Casciano and Tavarnelle in Val di Pesa. This wine has reached exports which account for 80% of the total revenue, according to the Chianti Classico Consorzio. This famous Tuscan wine was awarded the prestigious DOCG label in 1984 and the separation from the wine type “Classico” in 2010. This breakthrough year was a breath of fresh air after stagnant sales but within the last 5 years, Chianti Classico has broken sales records reaching 37.5 million bottles sold both in domestic and foreign markets.
“Sergio Zingarelli, president of the Consortium, points out that in 2015 there was an 8% increase. Chianti Classico has a market penetration in over 70 countries, in particular in popular dedicated markets such as North America, Europe and some Asian markets. 30% of exports of Chianti Classic, recognizable by the black rooster label, is exported to the US, 10% is exported to Canada.” These are numbers that are expected to be maintained within the coming years. “2015 in terms of quality, was an historic harvest” concludes Sergio Zingarelli with a sense of pride and satisfaction.
Chianti Classico has reached its 300th birthday in perfect form! The brand boasts a vitality that few other brands can match thanks to the structure of this wine, its history and not of course international fame.
So what can we expect for Chianti Classico in the years ahead? In addition to the almost predictable continuation of an increasingly top production at quality levels, the brand is working on other new initiatives as well that will further increase the appeal of the label, in particular, the 2016 exhibition “Feeling Chianti Classico” in the museum of Convent of Radda in Chianti where you can find the Casa Chianti Classico.
The story of Chianti Classico is one of an already stunning Tuscany, from wine growers to territory where some of the most important grapes in the world are grown. The other is the history which compares what was happening to the rest of the world while Chianti Classico was being cultivated. Chianti Classico shares the story of over 300 years’ worth of success.
