The production of Chianti wine has a rich history going back many centuries. The earliest documentation of a Chianti wine dates back to the thirteenth century when viticulture was known to flourish in the “Chianti Mountains” around Florence. The merchants in the nearby towns of Castellina, Gaiole and Radda formed the Lega del Chianti (League of Chianti) to produce and promote the local wine. In 1398, records note that the earliest production of Chianti was as a white wine. In 1716 Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany issued an edict legislating that the three villages of the League of Chianti as well as the village of Greve and a 2 mile hillside north of Greve near Spedaluzza as the only officially recognized producers of Chianti. This delineation existed until the 1930′s when the Italian government expanded the zone. Subsequent expansions throughout the twentieth century would eventually bring the Chianti zone to cover almost all of Tuscany. The original zone dictated by the edict of Cosimo III de’ Medici would eventually be considered the heart of the Chianti Classico region.
The wines of the Chianti sub-region of Rufina are among the most widely recognized and exported from the Chianti region. The Florentine merchant families of the Antinori and Frescobaldi own the majority of the vineyards in Rufina. Chianti from the Rufina area is characterized by its multi-layered complexity and elegance.
The 2008 Chianti Rufina Nipozzano Riserva is produced by using 90% Sangiovese, and a 10% blend using Malvasia nera, Colorino, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties. The color of this wine in the glass is a wonderful deep ruby red, with a rim variation of brick red. The aromas are of cherries, red berries, earthiness, and spice. The flavors of this wine follow that of the nose, with flavors of tart cherries,  red raspberries, plums, dirt, and pepper. As with most Chianti’s this is a medium-bodied wine, smooth, well balanced, with soft tannins, and a medium finish. I paired this Chianti with a hand made traditional Italian pizza with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, and fresh herbs. The wine and pizza complimented one another very well.

Jon

After a long day at work, my wife sent me to the store to pick up a bottle of wine to go with pasta and marinara sauce that she was preparing. I went to the Italian wine section and decided to go with an inexpensive Chianti, and that was a big mistake. This bottle of wine was priced at just over $9, and I feel like I overpaid for this bottle, it was that bad. The wine had aromas and flavors of tart cherries, but beyond that it tasted like I was drinking a watered down cooking wine, and really tasted more like a bad wine vinegar than anything else. This goes to show that just because a wine is produced in an area that has the DOCG designation, it does not guarantee that a wine will have any quality to it at all, because this wine did not.

Jon

The Ruffino family has been involved in wine making since 1877 in Tuscany, Italy. Their philosophy for wine making is two-fold: exceptional quality of their wines, and the expression of the terroir in their wines. This Chianti was first produced by the wineries founders, Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino, and is felt by many to be the benchmark for all Chianti wines. The 2009 vintage has aroma and flavor notes of red plums, cherries, violets, and spice on the back of the palate. For an affordable, everyday drinking Chianti the 2009 Ruffino is a good choice, and pairs well with pasta dishes, or with Italian meats and cheeses.

Jon

My wife had made home-made pasta and marinara sauce, and so she picked up a bottle of Gabbiano 2009 Chianti to accompany the dinner. Chianti is produced using the Sangiovese grape variety as the main grape, and the Gabbiano Chianti also uses Canaiolo, Trebbiano, and Colorino as the blending partners. The  aroma and flavor profile was of cherry, and a hint clove, with some nuances of wood, smoke and earthiness. As with most Chianti’s, this is a medium-bodied wine, with soft tannins. On its own, this Chianti is an average everyday drinking wine. However, when paired with the pasta and marinara sauce, the two went together well.

Jon