CHIANTI WINE
Once upon a time wine was drunk more often than water as it was less likely to contain the nasties that modern filtration systems have taken care of. That said looking around Italy you would be forgiven for thinking it was still the case. The wines range from light whites or bianco, rosés to rich reds. Vino da Tavolo are more generic tasting wines, made from mixed grapes from all over Italy and you will see containers ranging from regular bottles to tetra-pak boxes to 6 litre plastic bottles, also usually found on tap in restaurants and bars. Still yet to taste a rough one and they won't break the bank either.
CHIANTI CLASSICO
Perhaps the most famous of Chianti products, this is what it is all about. Chianti Classico is produced solely in the Chianti region, this is defined as the area around Florence, the Chianti hills, the Elsa Valley and Siena by a ministerial decree in 1934. To become a Classico the wine must be produced in a particular technique and is made of a blend of grapes. The mix is then aged for up to 3 years, or longer if it is a Riserva. Most Chianti Classico wines can be drunk fairly young or aged up to 10 years. Tastes and prices vary and it is difficult to find a bad one, as even the cheaper ones can be excellent.
SUPER TUSCANS
One of the surprise outcomes from the early reforms of the Chianti consortium was the rise of the Super Tuscans . After the ruling on Classico production some vintners rebelled against the blending rules and focussed solely on using just red or Sangiovese grapes and imported varieties from France. As a result the wines they produced were not labelled as DOC or DOCG and were dishonourably labelled as vino da tavolo- table wine. However time has justified their existence and they are now accepted as the richer, fuller flavoured cousin of the Classico, characteristically more like a Merlot or Cabernet. These are aged even longer and generally take on a smooth velvety texture. You can expect a large dent in the budget purchasing one of these but well worth it.