Italian Wine Regions - Chianti (Toscana)

Italian Wine Regions - Chianti (Toscana) The Chianti area of Tuscany is known for a warm, sunny growing season, with substantial temperature differential between day and night. Such conditions produce flavorful, rich grapes. The vines that produce our Sangiovese grapes are grown in the 'traditional Tuscany upturned' system, a variation on the 'Guyot' system. The vines are positioned to point south, which contributes to the complete maturation of the fruit. The cultivation of Sangiovese in Tuscany can be traced back through the centuries to ancient Greece and Rome. In fact, the word Sangiovese is derived from Latin 'Sanguis Jovis,' or the blood of Jupiter.

History and Tradition
Tuscany was first inhabited by the Etruscans and later conquered by the Romans in the mid-4th century B.C. Following the fall of Rome, the area became a Lombard duchy with Lucca as its capital, and still later a powerful fief under the Franks. Eventually, Tuscany became part of the papacy lands, causing a long-lasting strife between popes and emperors. In the late Middle Ages and throughout the Renaissance, Tuscany was a center for the arts and of learning. The Tuscan spoken language became the literary language of Italy after Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, and Boccaccio used it instead of the traditional Latin to create profound works that are still read today. Under the Medici, the ruling family of Florence, Tuscany became a grand duchy in 1569, and so a powerful political and economic force in addition to being one of the main intellectual and artistic centers in Europe at the time.

The Wines
Tuscany's winemaking industry counts on one of the most noble and ancient traditions that predates the universally known Chianti wine that often springs to mind when this region is discussed.

Long before the first Etruscans made their appearance, wild vines grew in abundance all over the sunny rolling hills of Tuscany. The Etruscans are believed to have domesticated and bred the forbearers of such grapes as the Sangiovese and the Lambrusco from those early feral grapes.

The hilly soil and the weather conditions of Tuscany are ideal for grape growing and, with the passing centuries, the numerous types of grapes grown gave rise to some rare and much loved varieties. The most grown variety is the Sangiovese, which is often combined with small amounts of locally grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo and other grapes into blends such as the Brunello di Montalcino, Morellino di Scansano, Carmignano and, of course, the signature Tuscan wines, the Chianti and Chianti Classico. Other grapes grown here are the Mammolo, Malvasia, Colorino, Raspirosso, Gamay, Grand Noir, Barbera, Moscatello, Aleatico and Vernaccia, among others. The local production includes a few distinguishable whites, the most notable being the Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Other delicious whites include the Bianco d'Elba, from the Elba Island, Bianco di Bolgheri, Vermentino, Bianco di Pitigliano and Bianco di Val di Nievole. (Bianco in Italian means, "white").

Tuscany accounts for over thirty DOC and half a dozen of DOCG wines.

Information gathered from www.winecountry.it