Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-colored grape varieties - (red grapes.) The color of the wine can range from intense violet, typical of young wines, through to brick red for mature wines and brown for older red wines. The juice from most purple grapes is greenish-white, the red color coming from anthocyan pigments present in the skin of the grape. Much of the red wine production process involves extraction of color and flavor components from the grape skin.
71-587: Chianti is an Italian red wine produced in the Chianti region of central Tuscany , principally from the Sangiovese grape. It was historically associated with a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called a fiasco ("flask"; pl. : fiaschi ). However, the fiasco is now only used by a few makers of the wine; most Chianti is bottled in more standard-shaped wine bottles. In the latter nineteenth century, Baron Bettino Ricasoli (later Prime Minister of
142-766: A 52.3% share of total wine sales in 2004, although there are regional disparities, with Quebec favoring it even more. In the United States, there is a balance between white wine, preferred by women, and red wine, favored by men. Red wine is gaining market share in many countries . Although white wine remains preferred in Australia, red wine consumption is experiencing significant growth. In Japan , red wine consumption now surpasses white wine, accounting for 48% of total wine consumed compared to 43% for white wine. While red wine's market share may be increasing relative to other types of wine, overall wine consumption volume
213-692: A bluish-gray chalky marlstone known as galestro . The soil in the north is richer and more fertile with more galestro , with the soil gradually becoming harder and stonier with more albarese in the south. In the north, the Arno River can have an influence on the climate, keeping the temperatures slightly cooler, an influence that diminishes further south in the warmer Classico territory towards Castelnuovo Berardenga. Chianti Classico are premium Chianti wines that tend to be medium-bodied with firm tannins and medium-high to high acidity . Floral, cherry and light nutty notes are characteristic aromas with
284-616: A flurry of creativity and innovation in the Chianti zones as producers experimented with new grape varieties and introduced modern wine-making techniques such as the use of new oak barrels . The prices and wine ratings of some Super Tuscans would regularly eclipse those of DOC-sanctioned Chiantis. The success of the Super Tuscans encouraged government officials to reconsider the DOC regulations in order to bring some of these wines back into
355-603: A hand in this development, bringing global viticulture and wine-making techniques to the Colli Fiorentini. Located in the hills between the Chianti Classico area and Arno valley, the wines of the Colli Fiorentini vary widely depending on producer, but tend to have a simple structure with strong character and fruit notes. The Montespertoli sub-zone was part of the Colli Fiorentini sub-zone until 2002 when it became its own tiny enclave. The Montalbano subregion
426-629: A marketing tool. Filtration serves to make wine completely clear and to eliminate any remaining yeast cells and bacteria , which could render the bottled wine microbiologically unstable. Wine is normally put into glass bottles with cork stoppers , though aluminium screwcap closures and plastic stoppers are also common. Alternative containers such as Bag-in-Box , TetraPak and plastic bottles are also used. Europe and North America are significant consumers of red wine, with variations in purchasing behaviors among countries. Americans prioritize grape variety when buying wine, while Spaniards focus on
497-461: A minimum alcohol level of 12% with a minimum of 7 months aging in oak , while Chianti Classicos labeled riserva must be aged at least 24 months at the winery, with a minimum alcohol level of 12.5%. The harvest yields for Chianti Classico are restricted to no more than 7.5 t/ha (3 tonnes per acre). For basic Chianti, the minimum alcohol level is 11.5% with yields restricted to 9 t/ha (4 tonnes per acre). The aging for basic Chianti DOCG
568-449: A recipe for Chianti that was based primarily on Sangiovese. Though he is often credited with creating and disseminating a specific formula (typically reported as 70% Sangiovese, 20% Canaiolo, 10% Malvasia Bianca Lunga), a review of his correspondence of the time does not corroborate this. In addition, his efforts were quickly corrupted by other local winemakers (for example, replacing Malvasia with Trebbiano Toscano, or relying too heavily on
639-473: Is a relatively new and emerging area that has seen an influx of investment and new winemaking in recent years. Since 1996 the blend for Chianti and Chianti Classico has been 75–100% Sangiovese , up to 10% Canaiolo and up to 20% of any other approved red grape variety such as Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot or Syrah . Since 2006, the use of white grape varieties such as Malvasia and Trebbiano have been prohibited in Chianti Classico. Chianti Classico must have
710-454: Is aged for some period before bottling, though this can vary from a few days, in the case of Beaujolais Nouveau to 18 months or more in the case of top Bordeaux reds. Aging can take place in stainless-steel or concrete tanks, or in small or large oak barrels. The latter impart some flavour to the wine as a function of their age and size (small, new barrels give more flavour than large, older barrels). Red wines sometimes undergo fining, which
781-1313: Is also advisable to not drink red wine during pregnancy . It has been proposed that resveratrol , a polyphenol in red wine, might help prevent heart problems and blood clots if the wine is consumed in small amounts. However, research is lacking and definitive conclusions can not be made with the current evidence. Robbiano Look for Robbiano on one of Misplaced Pages's sister projects : [REDACTED] Wiktionary (dictionary) [REDACTED] Wikibooks (textbooks) [REDACTED] Wikiquote (quotations) [REDACTED] Wikisource (library) [REDACTED] Wikiversity (learning resources) [REDACTED] Commons (media) [REDACTED] Wikivoyage (travel guide) [REDACTED] Wikinews (news source) [REDACTED] Wikidata (linked database) [REDACTED] Wikispecies (species directory) Misplaced Pages does not have an article with this exact name. Please search for Robbiano in Misplaced Pages to check for alternative titles or spellings. You need to log in or create an account and be autoconfirmed to create new articles. Alternatively, you can use
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#1732776113542852-509: Is approved by a special tasting committee. The creation of the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG has been criticized, with some describing it as being "Needless; an extra layer of confusion created by marketing people hoping to help Chianti Classico out of a sales crisis." Outside of the Chianti Classico area, the wines of the Chianti sub-zone of Rufina are among the most widely recognised and exported from
923-475: Is declining in several countries. For example, wine consumption in Argentina has consistently decreased, reaching a -10% change from 2003 to 2004. In 2013, China surpassed France and Italy to become the world's largest consumer of red wine. Since red wine contains alcohol, it can have detrimental effects on the liver and pancreas , worsen gout symptoms, and cause strokes when drunk excessively . It
994-416: Is designed to clarify the wine and sometimes to correct faults such as excess tannin. Fining agents include egg white and gelatin . Some red wines, particularly those designed for early drinking, are cold stabilized so as to prevent the precipitation of unsightly tartrate crystals in the bottle. Most wines are filtered at some stage before bottling, although some winemakers use the absence of filtration as
1065-405: Is important to maximize contact between the cap of skins and the liquid phase. This can be achieved by: Fermentation produces heat and if left uncontrolled the temperature of the fermenting may exceed 40 °C (104 °F), which can impair flavour and even kill the yeast. The temperature is therefore often controlled using different refrigeration systems. Winemakers have different opinions about
1136-525: Is located in the shadow of the Carmignano DOCG, with much of the best Sangiovese going to that wine. A similar situation exists in the Colli Senesi which includes the well known DOCG region of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Both regions rarely appear on wine labels that are exported out of Tuscany. The Colli Pisane area produces typical Chiantis with the lightest body and color. The Colli Aretini
1207-399: Is much less stringent with most varieties allowed to be released to the market on 1 March following the vintage year. The sub-zones of Colli Fiorentini, Montespertoli and Rufina must be aged for a further three months and not released until 1 June. All Chianti Classicos must be held back until 1 October in the year following the vintage. Jancis Robinson notes that Chianti is sometimes called
1278-460: Is often characterised by its juicy fruit notes of cherry, plum and raspberry and can range from simple quaffing wines to those approaching the level of Chianti Classico. Wine expert Tom Stevenson notes that these basic everyday-drinking Chiantis are at their peak drinking qualities often between three and five years after vintage, with premium examples having the potential to age for four to eight years. Well-made examples of Chianti Classico often have
1349-412: Is permitted in the blend, the nature of the grape variety can have a dominant personality in the Chianti blend and be a strong influence in the wine. Chianti Classico wines are characterised in their youth by their predominantly floral and cinnamon spicy bouquet. As the wine ages, aromas of tobacco and leather can emerge. Chiantis tend to have medium-high acidity and medium tannins . Basic level Chianti
1420-487: Is that color and fruit flavours are extracted into the aqueous solution, without extraction of tannins which takes place in post-fermentation maceration when alcohol is present. This practice is by no means universal and is perhaps more common in New World winemaking countries. Once the must is in a fermentation vessel, yeast naturally present on the skins of the grapes, or in the environment, will sooner or later start
1491-528: The Antinori and Frescobaldi own the majority of the vineyards in Rufina. Chianti from the Rufina area is characterised by its multi-layered complexity and elegance. The Colli Fiorentini subregion has seen an influx of activity and new vineyard development in recent years as wealthy Florentine business people move to the country to plant vineyards and open wineries. Many foreign " flying winemakers " have had
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#17327761135421562-460: The Kingdom of Italy ) helped establish Sangiovese as the blend's dominant grape variety, creating the blueprint for today's Chianti wines. The first definition of a wine area called Chianti was made in 1716. It described the area near the villages of Gaiole , Castellina and Radda ; the so-called Lega del Chianti and later Provincia del Chianti (Chianti province). In 1932 the Chianti area
1633-509: The Sangiovese di Romagna from the nearby Romagna region. Following the Second World War , the general trend in the world wine market for cheap, easy-drinking wine saw a brief boom for the region. With over-cropping and an emphasis on quantity over quality, the reputation of Chianti among consumers eventually plummeted. By the 1950s, Trebbiano (which is known for its neutral flavours) made up to 30% of many mass-market Chiantis. By
1704-463: The article wizard to submit a draft for review, or request a new article . Search for " Robbiano " in existing articles. Look for pages within Misplaced Pages that link to this title . Other reasons this message may be displayed: If a page was recently created here, it may not be visible yet because of a delay in updating the database; wait a few minutes or try the purge function . Titles on Misplaced Pages are case sensitive except for
1775-468: The most ripe and richest tasting, wines from Gaiole tend to have been characterised by their structure and firm tannins while wines from the Greve area tend to have very concentrated flavours. The production of Chianti Classico is realised under the supervision of Consorzio del Vino Chianti Classico , a union of producers in the Chianti Classico subregion. The Consorzio was founded with the aim of promoting
1846-558: The phylloxera epidemic would take its toll on the vineyards of Chianti just as they had ravaged vineyards across the rest of Europe. The chaos and poverty following the Risorgimento heralded the beginning of the Italian diaspora that would take Italian vineyard workers and winemakers abroad as immigrants to new lands. Those that stayed behind and replanted choose high-yielding varieties like Trebbiano and Sangiovese clones such as
1917-445: The province of Florence as well as Castelnuovo Berardenga and Poggibonsi in the province of Siena included within the permitted boundaries of Chianti Classico. The soil and geography of this subregion can be quite varied, with altitudes ranging from 250 to 610 m (820 to 2,000 feet), and rolling hills producing differing macroclimates . There are two main soil types in the area: a weathered sandstone known as alberese and
1988-409: The wine label . Wines that are labelled as simply Chianti are made either from a blend from these sub-zones or include grapes from peripheral areas not within the boundaries of a sub-zone. The sub-zones are (clockwise from the north): the Colli Fiorentini which is located south of the city of Florence; Chianti Rufina in the northeastern part of the zone located around the commune of Rufina ; Classico in
2059-427: The " Bordeaux of Italy " but the structure of the wines is very different from any French wine. The flexibility in the blending recipe for Chianti accounts for some of the variability in styles among Chiantis. Lighter-bodied styles will generally have a higher proportion of white grape varieties blended in, while Chiantis that have only red grape varieties will be fuller and richer. While only 15% of Cabernet Sauvignon
2130-679: The AOC, and Swiss consumers seek the best price. In the United Kingdom , red wine consumption volume increased by 35.71% between 2001 and 2005, making it the most consumed wine in the country , accounting for over half of total wine consumption. Red wine represents 52% of total wine consumption in Spain, 55.6% in Italy in 2004, and 70% in Switzerland. In Canada , red wine dominates with
2201-559: The Chianti Classico subregion. The Chianti Classico subregion covers an area of approximate 260 km (100 square miles) between the city of Florence to the north and Siena to the south. The four communes of Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti and Radda in Chianti are located entirely within the boundaries of the Classico area with parts of Barberino Val d'Elsa, San Casciano in Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa in
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2272-506: The Chianti region. Located in the Arno valley near the town of Pontassieve , the Rufina region includes much area in the Pomino region, an area that has a long history of wine production. The area is noted for the cool climate of its elevated vineyards located up to 900 m (2,950 feet). The vineyard soils of the area are predominantly marl and chalk . The Florentine merchant families of
2343-406: The Chianti wine areas except from those vineyards that are registered in the Chianti Classico sub-zone. Vineyards registered in Chianti sub-zones other than Classico can produce Chianti Superiore wines but must omit the sub-zone name on the label. Aging is calculated from 1 January after the picking. Chianti Superiore cannot be sold to the consumer before nine months of aging, of which three must be in
2414-425: The Chianti zone covering a very large area all over central Tuscany. By the 18th century Chianti was widely recognised as a red wine, but the exact composition and grape varieties used to make Chianti at this point is unknown. Ampelographers find clues about which grape varieties were popular at the time in the writings of Italian writer Cosimo Villifranchi , who noted that Canaiolo was a widely planted variety in
2485-406: The Classico sub-area is not allowed in any event to be labelled as Superiore. The earliest documentation of a "Chianti wine" dates back to the 14th century, when viticulture was known to flourish in the "Chianti Mountains" around Florence. A military league called Lega del Chianti (League of Chianti) was formed around 1250 between the townships of Castellina, Gaiole and Radda, which would lead to
2556-503: The Colli Aretini, and an additional 10,324 ha (25,511 acres) in the peripheral areas that do not fall within one of the sub-zone classifications. Wines produced from these vineyards are labelled simply "Chianti". The original area dictated by the edict of Cosimo III de' Medici would eventually be considered the heart of the modern "Chianti Classico" subregion. As of 2006, there were 7,140 ha (17,640 acres) of vineyards in
2627-839: The Colli Senesi, Florence for the Colli Fiorentini, Arezzo for the Colli Aretini and Pisa for the Colline Pisane. In 1996 part of the Colli Fiorentini sub-area was renamed Montespertoli . During the 1970s producers started to reduce the quantity of white grapes in Chianti. In 1995 it became legal to produce a Chianti with 100% Sangiovese. For a wine to retain the name of Chianti it must be produced with at least 80% Sangiovese grapes . Aged Chianti (at least 6 months in barrel and 3 more in bottle before release, instead of 6 months aging without barreling necessary) may be labelled as Riserva. Chianti that meets more stringent requirements (lower yield, higher alcohol content and dry extract) may be labelled as Chianti Superiore , although Chianti from
2698-505: The Consorzio Chianti Classico's project "Chianti 2000". In 2014, a new category of Chianti Classico was introduced: Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. Gran Selezione is made exclusively from a winery's own grapes grown according to stricter regulations compared to regular Chianti Classico. Gran Selezione is granted to a Chianti Classico after it passes a suitability test conducted by authorised laboratories, and after it
2769-513: The DOCG regions of Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Vernaccia di San Gimignano . Any Sangiovese-based wine made according to the Chianti guidelines from these vineyards can be labelled and marked under the basic Chianti DOCG should the producer wish to use the designation. Within the Chianti DOCG there are eight defined sub-zones that are permitted to affix their name to
2840-493: The Super Tuscan movement were originally Chianti producers who were rebelling against what they felt were antiquated DOC regulations. Some of these producers wanted to make Chiantis that were 100% varietal Sangiovese. Others wanted the flexibility to experiment with blending French grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot or to not be required to blend in any white grape varieties. The late 20th century saw
2911-467: The alcoholic fermentation, in which sugars present in the must are converted into alcohol with carbon dioxide and heat as by-products. Many winemakers, however, prefer to control the fermentation process more closely by adding specially selected yeasts usually of the species Saccharomyces ellipsoideous . Several hundred different strains of wine yeast are available commercially, and many winemakers believe that particular strains are more or less suitable for
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2982-462: The area along with Sangiovese, Mammolo and Marzemino . It was not until the work of the Italian statesman Bettino Ricasoli that the modern Chianti recipe as a Sangiovese-based wine would take shape. Prior to Ricasoli, Canaiolo was emerging as the dominant variety in the Chianti blend with Sangiovese and Malvasia Bianca Lunga playing supporting roles. In the mid-19th century, Ricasoli developed
3053-662: The bottle. Therefore, it cannot be bottled before the June after picking or sold to consumers before the next September. Chianti Classico was promoted as the "Official wine of the 2013 UCI Road World Championships " and sold bottles dedicated to the Championships with special labels. Red wine The top 20 red grape varieties by acreage (listed alphabetically) are: The next top 30 red grape varieties by acreage (listed alphabetically) are: The first step in red wine production, after picking, involves physical processing of
3124-577: The centre of Chianti, across the provinces of Florence and Siena; Colli Aretini in the Arezzo province to the east; Colli Senesi south of Chianti Classico in the Siena hills, which is the largest of the sub-zones and includes the Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano areas; Colline Pisane, the westernmost sub-zone in the province of Pisa; Montespertoli located within the Colli Fiorentini around
3195-634: The commune of Montespertoli ; Montalbano in the north-west part of the zone which includes the Carmignano DOCG. As of 2006, there were 318 hectares (786 acres) under production in Montalbano, 905 ha (2,236 acres) in the Colli Fiorentini, 57 ha (140 acres) in Montespertoli, 740 ha (1,840 acres) in Rufina, 3,550 ha (8,780 acres) in the Colli Senesi, 150 ha (380 acres) in Colline Pisane, 649 ha (1,603 acres) in
3266-408: The fold labelled as Chianti. The Chianti region covers a vast area of Tuscany and includes within its boundaries several overlapping Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) regions. Other well known Sangiovese-based Tuscan wines such as Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano could be bottled and labelled under
3337-400: The grapes are also crushed, but pressing usually does not take place till after or near the end of fermentation with the time of skin contact between the juice and grapes leaching color , tannins , and other phenolics from the skin. Approximately 60-70% of the available juice within the grape berry, the free-run juice , can be released by the crushing process and does not require the use of
3408-620: The grapes are commonly lightly crushed. Crushers usually consist of a pair of rollers, and the gap between them can usually be regulated to allow for light, hard, or no crushing, according to the winemaker 's preference. The mixture of grapes, skins, juice, and seeds is now referred to as must . The must is then pumped to a vessel, often a tank made of stainless steel or concrete, or an oak vat, for fermentation. In common with most modern winemaking equipment, de-stemmers and crushers are normally made of stainless steel (food-grade stainless steel for those parts that come into physical contact with
3479-552: The grapes are sent through a crusher/de-stemmer , which removes the individual grape berries from the stems and breaks the skins, releasing some juice, prior to being pressed. There are exceptions, such as the case of sparkling wine production in regions such as Champagne , where grapes are traditionally whole-cluster pressed with stems included to produce a lighter must that is low in phenolics . In white wine production, pressing usually takes place immediately after crushing and before primary fermentation . In red wine production,
3550-412: The grapes more gently than continuous presses. The press wine is often kept separate from the free-run, and kept for later blending or disposing. A second microbiological transformation commonly takes place after the alcoholic fermentation of red wines. This is usually referred to as malolactic fermentation (MLF), in which malic acid , naturally present in grape juice, is converted into lactic acid under
3621-460: The grapes). The preservative sulfur dioxide is commonly added when grapes arrive at the winery. The addition rate varies from zero, for perfectly healthy grapes, to up to 70 mg/litre, for grapes with a high percentage of rot. The purpose is to prevent oxidation and sometimes to delay the onset of fermentation . Macerating enzymes (for instance glucanases ) may also be added at this stage, to aid extraction of color and fruit flavours from
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#17327761135423692-412: The grapes. Handpicked or machine-harvested grapes are usually tipped into a receival bin when they arrive at the winery and conveyed by a screw mechanism to the grape-processing equipment. On arrival at the winery, there is usually a mixture of individual berries, whole bunches (particularly with handpicked grapes), stems, and leaves. The presence of stems during fermentation can lead to a bitter taste in
3763-399: The ideal temperature for fermentation, but in general cooler temperatures (25–28 °C; 77–82 °F) produce fruitier red wines for early drinking while higher temperatures (28–35 °C; 82–95 °F) produce more tannic wines designed for long aging. Winemakers will usually check the density and temperature of the fermenting must once or twice per day. The density is proportional to
3834-575: The influence of bacteria (it is not strictly a fermentation). MLF is almost universally practised for red wines. It often occurs naturally, owing to the presence of lactic acid bacteria in wineries, but there are also commercially available preparations of bacteria to inoculate for MLF if necessary. Once the MLF is complete, the red wine is usually racked (decanted) off its lees (dead yeast cells and other solids), and has sulfur dioxide preservative added to avoid oxidation and bacterial spoilage. Most red wine
3905-532: The largest volume of DOC/G wines in Italy. The Chianti DOCG covers all the Chianti wine and includes a large stretch of land encompassing the western reaches of the province of Pisa near the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea , the Florentine hills in the province of Florence to the north, to the province of Arezzo in the east and the Siena hills to the south. Within this regions are vineyards that overlap
3976-412: The late 20th century, Chianti was often associated with basic Chianti sold in a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called a fiasco . However, during the same period, a group of ambitious producers began working outside the boundaries of DOC regulations to make what they believed would be a higher-quality wine. These wines eventually became known as the " Super Tuscans ". Many of the producers behind
4047-471: The latter), leading to further misunderstanding of the "Ricasoli formula". In 1967, the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) regulation set by the Italian government was based on a loose interpretation of Ricasoli's "recipe", calling for a Sangiovese-based blend with 10–30% Malvasia and Trebbiano. The late 19th century saw a period of economic and political upheaval. First came oidium and then
4118-429: The most basic designation of "Chianti" if their producers chose to do so. Within the collective Chianti region more than 8 million cases of wines classified as DOC-level or above are produced each year. Today, most Chianti falls under two major designations of Chianti DOCG, which includes basic level Chianti, as well as that from seven designated sub-zones, and Chianti Classico DOCG. Together, these two Chianti zones produce
4189-500: The original Chianti heartland. Only Chianti from this sub-zone may display the black rooster ( gallo nero ) seal on the neck of the bottle, which indicates that the producer of the wine is a member of the Chianti Classico Consortium, the local association of producers. Other variants, with the exception of Rufina north-east of Florence and Montalbano south of Pistoia , originate in the named provinces: Siena for
4260-491: The potential to age and improve in the bottle for six to twenty years. Chianti Superiore is an Italian DOCG wine produced in the provinces of Arezzo, Florence, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena, in Tuscany. Superiore is a specification for wines produced with a stricter rule of production than other Chianti wines. Chianti Superiore has been authorised since 1996. Chianti Superiore wines can be produced only from grapes cultivated in
4331-411: The press. The remaining 30-40% that comes from pressing can have higher pH levels, lower titratable acidity , potentially higher volatile acidity and higher phenolics than the free-run juice depending on the amount of pressure and tearing of the skins and will produce more astringent, bitter wine. Winemakers often keep their free-run juice and pressed wine separate (and perhaps even further isolate
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#17327761135424402-405: The skins and to facilitate pressing. Tannin may be added now, later in the winemaking process, or not at all. Tannin can be added to help stabilize colour, to prevent oxidation, and to help combat the effects of rot. Some winemakers prefer to chill the must to around 10 °C (50 °F), to allow a period of pre-fermentation maceration ("cold soaking"), of between one and four days. The idea
4473-408: The sugar content and will be expected to fall each day as the sugar is converted into alcohol by fermentation. Pressing in winemaking is the process where juice is extracted from grapes. This can be done with the aid of a winepress , by hand, or even by the weight of the grape berries and clusters themselves. Historically, intact grape clusters were trodden by feet , but in most wineries today,
4544-620: The three villages of the Lega del Chianti ( Castellina in Chianti , Gaiole in Chianti and Radda in Chianti ) as well as the village of Greve and a 3.2-kilometre-long stretch (2-mile) of hillside north of Greve near Spedaluzzo as the only officially recognised producers of Chianti. This delineation existed until July 1932, when the Italian government expanded the Chianti zone to include the outlying areas of Barberino Val d'Elsa , Chiocchio , Robbiano , San Casciano in Val di Pesa and Strada . Subsequent expansions in 1967 would eventually result in
4615-404: The vinification of different grape varieties and different styles of wine. It is also common to add yeast nutrient at this stage, often in the form of diammonium phosphate. Soon after the must is placed in the fermentation vessel, a separation of solid and liquid phases occurs. Skins float to the surface, forming a cap. In order to encourage efficient extraction of colour and flavour components, it
4686-523: The wine from this area taking on a similar name. In 1398 the earliest-known record notes Chianti as a white wine, though the red wines of Chianti were also discussed around the same time in similar documents. The first attempt to classify Chianti wine in any way came in 1427, when Florence developed a tariff system for the wines of the surrounding countryside, including an area referred to as "Chianti and its entire province". In 1716 Cosimo III de' Medici , Grand Duke of Tuscany, issued an edict legislating that
4757-523: The wine produced by different pressure levels/stages of pressing) during much of the winemaking process to either bottle separately or later blend portions of each to make a more complete, balanced wine. In practice the volume of many wines are made from 85 to 90% of free run juice and 10-15% pressed juice. There are many different types of wine presses, but they can be broadly divided into continuous presses and tank presses. Modern winemaking tends to favour tank presses with pneumatic membranes, which squeeze
4828-412: The wine, and the purpose of destemming is to separate grapes from the stems and leaves. Mechanical de-stemmers usually consist of a rotating cage perforated with grape-sized holes. Within this cage is a concentric axle with arms radiating towards the inner surface of the cage. Grapes pass through the holes in the cage, while stems and leaves are expelled through the open end of the cage. After destemming,
4899-502: The wines expressing more notes on the mid- palate and finish than at the front of the mouth. As with Bordeaux , the different zones of Chianti Classico have unique characteristics that can be exemplified and perceived in some wines from those areas. According to Master of Wine Mary Ewing-Mulligan , Chianti Classico wines from the Castellina area tend to have a very delicate aroma and flavour, Castelnuovo Berardegna wines tend to be
4970-446: The wines of the subregion, improving quality and preventing wine fraud . Since the 1980s, the foundation has sponsored extensive research into the viticultural and winemaking practice of the Chianti Classico area, particularly in the area of clonal research. In the last three decades, more than 50% of the vineyards in the Chianti Classico subregion have been replanted with improved Sangiovese clones and modern vineyard techniques as part of
5041-431: Was completely redrawn and divided into seven sub-areas: Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rùfina. Most of the villages that in 1932 were added to the newly defined Chianti Classico region added in Chianti to their names, for example Greve in Chianti , which amended its name in 1972. Wines labelled Chianti Classico come from the largest sub-area of Chianti, which includes
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