Chianti DOCG

Region: Toscana

Synopsis

Region:

Toscana,

History: Established as a DOC in 1967; became a DOCG in 1984

Vineyard Area: 13,800 ha / 34,086 acres (2019)

Production: 734,000 hl / 8,156,000 cases (5-year average)

Principal Red Grape Varieties:

Sangiovese

Styles and Wine Composition

RED WINES

Rosso (Rd): Minimum 70% Sangiovese; maximum 30% OARG (maximum 15% Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon); maximum 10% OAWG
Rosso from subzone Colli Senesi only (Rd): Minimum 75% Sangiovese; maximum 25% OARG (maximum 10% Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon); maximum 10% OAWG
Superiore (Rosso)
Riserva (Rosso)
TerraElectae (proprietary designation used in subzone Rufina only—see note below)

Subzones

Colli Aretini
Colli Fiorentini
Colline Pisane
Colli Senesi
Montalbano
Montespertoli
Rufina
(proposed) Terre di Vinci

Note: Chianti Classico is a separate DOCG and not a subzone of the Chianti DOCG.

Significant Production Rules

The traditional Governo process of enriching the wine by allowing it to finish fermenting in contact with unfermented dried grapes is still permitted
Minimum alcohol level: 11.5% for non-subzone Rosso, Colli Aretini, Colline Pisane, and Montalbano; 12.0% for Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Montespertoli, and Rufina; 12.0% for Superiore and for non-subzone Riserva; 12.5% for Riserva from all subzones except Colli Senesi; 13.0% for Colli Senesi Riserva
Aging: For most Rosso, minimum approx. 4 months (ERD = March 1, V+1); for Rosso from Montespertoli, minimum approx. 7 months (ERD = June 1, V+1); for Rosso from Colli Fiorentini and Rufina and for Superiore, minimum approx. 10 months (ERD = September 1, V+1); for Riserva, minimum 2 years (ERD = January 1, V+3); for Riserva from Colli Fiorentini and Rufina, minimum 2 years, including 6 months in barrel (ERD = January 1, V+3); for Riserva from Colli Senesi, minimum 2 years, including 8 months in barrel and 4 months in bottle (ERD = January 1, V+3)

Last Disciplinare Modification:

08/08/2019

Notes:

Note: The Chianti Rufina consorzio has created the proprietary designation TerraElectae or TerrÆlectae (from the Latin terræ electæ, “chosen soils”), which is usable only by consorzio members for Riserva-level wines made from 100% Sangiovese grown in the Rufina subzone. Among the requirements for the term’s use, the wine must be aged for a minimum of 30 months, including 18 months in barrel and 6 months in bottle. The term is not an official part of the DOCG’s disciplinare.