How to pour
a chianti in
Put the bottle in the refrigerator for half an hour. In a heated home, a bottle quickly reaches twenty-one degrees, and above that chianti starts to smell broad and alcoholic. Between 16 and 18 degrees, the sour cherry and herbs remain vibrant and the tannins feel smooth.
Cut around the capsule just below the raised ridge of the neck and wipe the rim of the bottle clean. Position the spiral in the centre of the cork, turn it straight down until just before the end and pull the cork out in one smooth motion.
A young annata can go straight into the glass. A riserva or gran selezione that still smells closed often opens up after twenty minutes to half an hour in a decanter. With an older bottle, pour slowly and leave the sediment behind in the bottle.
Pour until the glass is about one-third full, leaving room to swirl. This makes a real difference with chianti: without air, you mainly taste the acidity; with air, the cherry, herbs and tea-like note come through.
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The story
Chianti is a large area in Tuscany that stretches from north of Florence to south of Siena, with a series of surrounding subzones. In the middle lies Chianti Classico, the oldest core between Florence and Siena, with its own regulations and the black rooster as its emblem on the neck of the bottle. Chianti without that designation comes from the larger area surrounding it. Within Classico, the hierarchy runs from annata through riserva to gran selezione, with the wine aging longer each time before it may be sold. The difference therefore lies in origin and aging, not in a different grape.
The right glass
A Chianti glass is a medium-sized bowl with a curve at the bottom and a rim that narrows slightly: enough room to swirl the wine so the cherry and herbal notes are released, but not so large that the wine gets lost in it. Our first choice is even named for Chianti and Pinot Grigio; the second is a classic tulip whose description explicitly mentions Chianti. Compare them in the red wine glasses collection, and if you want one large bowl for everything, take a look at the large wine glasses.
Luigi Bormioli Supremo Wine Glass 45 cl Chianti Pinot Grigio (6 pieces)
Schott Zwiesel Tulip Taste Red Wine Glass 49.7 cl (4 pieces)
Both sets together € 70,90.
The right tools
For a Chianti, besides the glass, you mainly need a corkscrew, and for a riserva or gran selezione, a decanter to let the wine breathe for half an hour. A wine stopper keeps an opened bottle tasting good for another day or two. The bar tools below only come in handy when turning it into a cocktail: a jigger for measuring and a zester for a citrus twist. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 74,85.
Which wine goes with this?
Chianti and brunello come from the same grape, but from different parts of Tuscany. These are the bottles served alongside chianti with an Italian meal, from prosecco beforehand to a glass of moscato with dessert. On each drink page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails pair well with it and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
One word on the label makes all the difference. Chianti comes from the wider region, chianti classico from the historic heart with the black rooster. Within it, annata is the standard vintage version, riserva is aged longer and gran selezione is the top tier. The bottle in the straw basket, the fiasco, has mostly become folklore: nice on the table in a trattoria, but serious wine has long been bottled in regular bottles. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Chianti is made for the Tuscan table. Pasta with tomato sauce is the most obvious pairing, because the acidity in the sauce and the acidity in the glass balance each other. A step up in weight is bistecca alla fiorentina, a thick grilled beef steak that stands up well to the tannins. Pecorino, salami and white beans with olive oil also pair well. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees.
Good to know
Chianti or chianti classico
Chianti Classico is the historic heart of the region, between Florence and Siena, with its own regulations and a higher minimum percentage of sangiovese. Chianti without that designation comes from the much larger surrounding area, which is divided into subzones. You can recognize classico by the black rooster on the neck of the bottle. It is not a brand belonging to one producer but the symbol of the consortium as a whole.
Annata, riserva and gran selezione
Annata is the standard vintage version, the wine that reaches the market fastest. Riserva ages longer before it may be sold and is usually fuller and firmer. Gran selezione is the top tier within classico and comes from grapes grown in the producer's own vineyards, with the longest aging period of the three. The tier is written out in full on the label.
Which grapes are allowed
Sangiovese is mandatory and must make up a prescribed minimum proportion, which is higher in classico than elsewhere. The rest may be supplemented with native grapes such as canaiolo and colorino or international grapes such as merlot and cabernet sauvignon. The proportion and selection vary by producer, which explains why one chianti tastes leaner and another rounder.
The bottle in the wicker basket
The fiasco, the round bottle in a woven marsh-grass basket, was once practical packaging: the basket protected the thin glass and kept the bottle upright. By now it is mainly decorative, known for candle wax on the table in a trattoria. The bottles in question are ordinary wine bottles, and the price of a fiasco says little about what is inside.
How much alcohol it contains and how long it lasts
Chianti contains roughly 12.5 to 14 percent alcohol; the percentage is stated on the label. Annata is best enjoyed within a few years, while a riserva or gran selezione can be aged longer. Once opened, a bottle will retain its flavor for another two to three days in the refrigerator with a stopper; take it out briefly before serving, otherwise it will be too cold.
Frequently asked questions
Is chianti a grape or a region?
A region. Chianti is an area in Tuscany located roughly between Florence and Siena and divided into subzones. The grape behind it is sangiovese, which must make up a prescribed minimum proportion of the wine and is supplemented with canaiolo, colorino or international grapes.
What is the difference between chianti and chianti classico?
Classico comes from the older core of the area, between Florence and Siena, has its own regulations and a higher minimum proportion of sangiovese. You can recognize it by the black rooster on the neck of the bottle. Chianti without that designation comes from the larger surrounding area.
What do annata, riserva and gran selezione mean?
These are three levels within chianti classico, each with a longer mandatory aging period. Annata is the standard vintage version, riserva is aged longer before being sold, and gran selezione is the highest tier, made from grapes from the producer's own vineyards.
Why is chianti sometimes in a bottle with a wicker basket?
That bottle is called a fiasco. The woven basket once protected the thin glass and kept the round bottle upright. Today it is mainly folklore: the serious bottles from the region come in ordinary wine bottles, and the basket says nothing about the quality.
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