If there’s one Italian wine you know, it’s probably Chianti Classico. Thanks to pop culture and the pervasiveness of Italian America red sauce joints, Chianti’s fame has spread across the United States. But Chianti is much more than a wine in a wicker basket consumed as an afterthought while gorging on pasta and chicken parm: it’s one of the great wines of the world, from one of Italy’s most important cultural regions.

On this episode of Sip Trip, Sommelier Jeff Porter and friends will explore the world of Chianti Classico in order to understand what makes this wine so special. They’ll travel to the cities of Florence and Siena to learn the legend of the black rooster – a symbol that is found on every bottle of Chianti – and they’ll have one of the best steaks of their life with the famed butcher Dario Cecchini.

Through their journey, Jeff and friends will see that part of the secret to Chianti’s success is its connection to the past while continuing to innovate for the future. In 1716, Chianti was designated a formal wine region – the first in the world to gain this designation. One hundred years later, based on years of research, Baron Ricasoli created the region’s famed recipe, identifying the perfect combination of grapes to make high quality Chianti Classico wine. Jeff sits down with Francesco Ricasoli, current owner of the famed winery, to see the recipe firsthand and understand the impact that it had on the region. If it wasn’t for this commitment to quality, many American’s may have never discovered this delicious wine.

To drink Chianti Classico is to consume more than just fermented grape juice. It’s a reflection of the land, the people, the cities – Florence and Siena – that make it special, and, of course, the cuisine. So join us as we uncover all that Chianti has to offer on this episode of Sip Trip.

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