Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LABELS OF QUALITY
Quality and origin of Tuscan wine is flagged with these official classifications:
DOC
(Denominazione d'Origine Controllata; Protected Designation of Origin) Must be produced
within a specified region using defined methods to meet a certain quality; the rules spell out produc-
tion area, grape varietals and viticultural/bottling techniques.
DOCG
(Denominazione d'Origine Controllata e Garantita; Protected Designation of Origin and Qual-
ity) The most prestigious stamp of quality, DOCG wines are particularly good ones, produced in sub-
territories of DOC areas. Of Italy's 44 DOCGs, eight are Tuscan - Brunello di Montalcino, Carmig-
nano, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Morellino di Scansano, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Vino Nobile di
Montepulciano and Elba Aleatico Passito.
IGT
(Indicazione Geografica Tipica; Protected Geographical Indication) High-quality wines that
don't meet DOC or DOCG definitions, such as Super Tuscans.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Prugnolo Gentile grapes (a clone of Sangiovese) form the backbone of the distinguished
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (2006 was an exceptional year). Its intense but delicate
nose and dry, vaguely tannic taste make it the perfect companion to red meat and mature
cheese.
Pasta is as much Tuscan as it is Italian, and no Tuscan banquet would be quite right without a
primo
(first course) of homemade
maccheroni
(wide, flat ribbon pasta),
pappardelle
(wider flat ribbon
pasta) or Sienese
pici
(a thick, hand-rolled version of spaghetti) served with a duck, hare, rabbit
or boar sauce.
Chianti
This cheery, full and dry fellow is known the world over as being easy to drink, suited to
any dish and wholly affordable. More famous than good in the 1970s, contemporary Chi-
anti gets the thumbs up from wine critics today. Produced in seven subzones from San-
giovese and a mix of other grape varieties, Chianti Classico - the traditional heart of this
long-standing wine-growing area - is the best known, with a DOCG (Denominazione
d'Origine Controllata e Garantita; Protected Designation of Origin and Quality) guarantee
of quality and a Gallo Nero (Black Cockerel) emblem that once symbolised the medieval
Chianti League. Young, fun Chianti Colli Senesi from the Siena hills is the largest sub-
