Description
Book SynopsisIn 1716, Tuscany's penultimate Medici ruler, Cosimo III, anointed the region of Chianti, along with three smaller areas in the Florentine State, as the world's first legal appellations of origin for wine. This book tells the story of the ancient land named Chianti and the modern wine appellation known as Chianti Classico.
Trade Review"'A profound desire to find the truth' about Chianti Classico... Offers a deep dive into the history, viticulture, and enology of Chianti Classico, the wine region and appellation situated snugly between Florence and Siena, distinct from the surrounding production zone simply called Chianti." The Boston Globe "Everything you always wanted to know about Chianti Classico (and lots more!) ... Does Chianti Classico live up to my high expectations for it? Yes! A great book for anyone who loves Chianti or Tuscany or ... wine!" The Wine Economist "An important new book on Chianti Classico: Winners of the Andre Simon 2013 award for their book The World of Sicilian Wine, Nesto and Di Savino have produced the investigative, scholarly and detailed book that Chianti Classico has long deserved. Nesto and Di Savino are brilliant historic investigators... A must-read for anyone seriously interested in wine." -- Walter Speller JancisRobinson.com "Bill Nesto and Frances Di Savino embrace the story, landscape and culture of Chianti Classico ... Ultimately, this is the story of a region in search of identity and reputation, a compelling read for anyone who enjoys the wines of Chianti Classico or Tuscany." The Wine Spectator "How the perception of Chianti Classico has evolved and changed over the years, to the point where it's held in high esteem, is an interesting Italian history lesson that the authors are eager to tell. Then it turns into a delightful travelogue of the region, describing the individual vineyards, estates and wineries. The detailed tasting notes are integral to understanding what's so important about sangiovese and how it's specifically grown and vinified in this area. It made me salivate and rush out to try several of the bottlings." -- Dennis Schaefer Santa Barbara News-Press "Profoundly informative, this book speaks to anyone with a taste for Chianti Classico, or anyone who is fascinated by the layered history of Tuscany and how it relates to wine... Makes a compelling argument for why Chianti Classico's relationship to Tuscany is perhaps more profound and complex than any other denomination wine in Italy... A comeback story worthy of Cosimo III's groundbreaking intuition." -- Monica Larner The Wine Advocate "A well-researched history book that reads like a novel." -- Harriet Lembeck Society of Wine Educators "A fascinating account of a peerless viticultural legacy... Husband and wife Bill Nesto MW and Frances Di Savino make a winning combination, with Frances penning the lion's share of the meticulously researched historical chapters and Bill doing the heavy lifting with sections on Sangiovese, viticulture, and enology." The World of Fine Wine
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Preface
1. The Original Chianti
2. The Evolution of Chianti through Bettino Ricasoli: The 1600s to the 1870s
3. The Birth of Chianti Classico and External Chianti: The 1870s to 1945
4. Chianti Classico Enters the Global Market: 1945 to the Present
5. Chianti’s Hidden Roads
6. The Geography of Chianti Classico
7. The Secret of Sangiovese
8. Viticulture in Chianti
9. Enology in Chianti
10. Chianti Classico Winegrowers by Subzone
11. The Medici Code
Afterword
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Works Cited
Index
