As we enter the last episodes of Chianti Classico Diaries before next week's finale, we meet arguably the quintessential comune of Chianti Classico: Greve in Chianti. Not only is it the largest comune in Chianti Classico, home to around 15,000 people, but it's also the most popular with tourists. As you'll see, the village of Greve in Chianti is particularly picturesque on a summer's day in Tuscany!
We hear first from Alessandro François, owner and winemaker of Castello di Querceto. You might guess from his surname he's not of Italian origin, and indeed his family came to Tuscany with the acquisition of Tuscany over 250 years ago by the Duke of Lorraine. Another producer from a fairly high area of Chianti Classico, Alessandro explains how more extreme altitudes produce fewer "big" wines. Castello di Querceto produces only single-vineyard wines, something Alessandro maintains allows the diversity of his soil types to be better appreciated in each wine.
Although Chianti Classico comprises around 70,000 hectares in total, Alessandro makes a good point that in fact only 10% of these are actually planted with vineyards. Nevertheless, he says, its microclimates, altitudes and chemical compositions vary immensely. He concludes that he would very much appreciate recognition of these differences.
The next producer in today's episode, Poggio Scalette, sits on a hill called Ruffoli in Greve in Chianti, and owner and winemaker Jurij Fiore likes to think it's blessed by God. He's also lucky to own some very old sangiovese vines – they come in at 80 years of age. He tells us how in his grandfather day they only made one wine, aspiring to be like the great Sassicaia or Petrus, but today, in addition to their Chianti Classico, they also make a Super Tuscan, Il Carbonaione, and Il Capogatto that come from the four Bordeaux grape varieties.
As far as conversation about the denomination of Chianti Classico, Jurij thinks it all intensely difficult. As someone who studied oenology in Burgundy, he sees their denomination system as a useful example but one that most Italians wouldn't warm to. But he doesn't think that the current state of affairs work any better either. It makes little sense to have an "ocean" for an important appellation where some sell their wines for as little as €3-€4 while others are up in the €30-€40 range. The main issue here for him is quality among different producers, and he doesn't see how it can be resolved easily. Remember the best individual wineries for yourself?
