The wines of Siena: History and curiosities of Chianti
Posted on 05. Jul, 2010 by admin in Archive, Food & Wine
Since ancient times Tuscany, and especially Siena and the province, has been closely linked to wine making.Despite that the first traces of vines have been traced to about 4000 years B.C. in the region of Mesopotamia, some fossil traces of Vitis Vinifera were found in the Travertino marble in San Vivaldo, which lead us be almost certain that this plant is native to Tuscany. The central position of Tuscany, a veritable hub for exchange, commerce and a watering-hole for pilgrims, wayfarers and traders, has undoubtedly played a role in the development of agriculture in the region.
The domination by Rome also further improved the techniques of wine production which remained unrivalled until the Middle Ages. It was in this period that wine changed from being a drink for the privileged, clergy and aristocracy to become much more widespread and even to be considered as a medical cure and even as an elixir to a long life.
Many wines are produced in Siena and the surrounding territory such as the virgin Valchiana white, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Colli Senesi, Vernaccia, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Galestro, Moscatello or the Moscadello di Montalcino, Passito del Santo, but perhaps the most renowned and prestigious worldwide is Chianti Classico.
Chianti Classico is produced in the mountainous area between Florence and Siena from Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano and white Malvasia grapes with some Mammolo, Colorino and raisin grapes. When it reaches an alcohol content greater than 12% and is aged for at least two years then it is called Chianti Vecchio. It becomes Riserva when it is aged for at least three years in oak casks. Chianti Classico Novello is ideally suited to accompany all dishes of the Tuscan culinary tradition. When aged, it is more suited for red or white meats but is also ideal for roasts and other similar dishes. It is also the ideal wine to accompany strong-flavoured aged cheeses.
Chianti wine has ancient origins, so ancient that it has even given the name to a part of Tuscany. According to some, Chianti was already well-known to the Etruscans, and is certainly recorded in documents dating from the year 913 and the other is from 1037, found in the Badia a Coltibuono.
The Chianti that we can now tastefully has its origins in the first half of the 1800’s when the Baron and oenologist Bettino Ricasoli first revealed the composition which for him was ideal to produce a wine which was at the same time “pleasurable, sparkling and easy to drink”. In his own Castello di Brolio estates in Tuscany he produced a full-bodied red wine with an intense bouquet comparable to the finest Italian and French red wines.
It was this recipe which was then to become the official composition of Chianti. Bettino Ricasoli’s recipe for Chianti consisted in the vinification of two red grapes (Sangiovese in quantities from 75% to 90%, and Canaiolo from 5-10%) and white grape (Malvasia from 2-5%), to which some Trebbiano grapes are added later.
Baron Ricasoli was able to continue his studies and his experiments to create Chianti wines which, in the 1800′s was already the most widespread wine in Europe, thanks also to the scientific contribution of the oenologist and agricultural experiments carried out by the Marquis Cosimo Ridolfi in the nearby Villa di Meleto in Castelfiorentino together with further studies conducted by the Accademia dei Georgofili in Florence.There is some controversy and curiosity regarding the origins of the name Chianti.
According to some, the name is derived from the Latin term clangor (noise), taken from the name of the many hunters present in the area which today is called Chianti; Others believe that it is derived from the Etruscan word clante (water).
Chianti wine has rendered the region of Siena and Tuscany famous world-wide with its never-ceasing production and continual research into improving the quality of Chianti wine which has now established it one of the world’s most well-known wines in the world.
