A bottle of red, a bottle of white
Whatever kind of mood you’re in tonight
I’ll meet you anytime you want
In our Italian restaurant.
I love Billy Joel. He’s iconic, a classic and so is his song “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” Every time I hear that song, I see it…a modest neighborhood Italian joint. There are tables covered in red checkered table cloths, espresso-colored wood chairs, a plate of spaghetti with sauce and maybe a few meatballs, plastic salamis and grapes hanging from the ceiling and the standout infamous bottle of Chianti wine in a straw fiasco basket.
For many years I would hear people ask for a glass of Chianti and expect a glass of rustic country wine. That image burst when I visited the “Chianti Classico” region. I still see my Italian eatery (Tony’s, Angello’s, Primo’s what have you), but what I expect when I hear someone order a glass of Chianti has changed a whole lot and for good reason. The wine has changed and upgraded as Italy’s wines have gained greater admiration worldwide.
When asking for Chianti, most people think of Chianti Classico. I was shocked to discover that Chianti is actually a very vast region with 7 sub-regions and the darling Chianti Classico that I simply refer to as Chianti comes from a specific part of Chianti. In Tuscany, the “Chianti Classico” region stretches between Florence and Siena and covers approximately 172,000 acres. Included in the region between Florence and Siena are the towns of Casatellina, Gaiole, Radda, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonis, San Casciano Val di Pesa, and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa.
What makes Chianti Classico special? It’s is a blend of grapes created by the noble Ricasoli family which to this day owns the Castello di Brolio and whose wine is marketed under the label Barone Ricasoli (http://www.baronericasoli.com). The Chianti Classico blend is 80% Sangiovese grape and 20% other native grapes such as Canaiolo and Colorino as well as other international varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
According to http://www.chianti.com, “Its (Chianti Classico’s) peculiarities are a limpid ruby red color, floral notes for its odor and with an harmonious, dry and sapid flavor with a good level of tannin. The minimum alcohol level should be 12%. The best Sangiovese grapes are used to produce Chianti Classico Riserva, a particularly esteemed wine. Riserva wine has a deep ruby red color and requires a minimum maturation of 24 months including three months of bottle fining, as well as 12.5% as minimum alcohol level.” At the store you can’t miss a bottle of Chianti Classico – the bottles have a pink label with a black rooster on the seal.
Chianti has evolved from its rustic style to some delicious, ripe and quite yummy wines. The wine has changed and though I nostalgically long for the straw fiasco on the table, I am even happier to enter my same Italian eatery, checked cloths and all, but now know that when I say “Chianti” I should now expect a good glass of wine. So, pull up a chair, invite and old friend and catch up at an Italian restaurant that’s special to you. While you’re at it, order the bottle of red and write me a note about what you drank. I’d love to hear from you!
“Fiaschi di Chianti (non classico)” by Caricato da Arnaud 25 is licensed under CC BY 4.0
