This communication is published in accordance with Article 17(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (1).

COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

‘Chianti Classico’

PDO-IT-A1235-AM03

Date of communication: 27.10.2023

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1.   Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

‘Chianti Classico’ wine with the ‘Gran Selezione’ indication must be obtained from grapes produced in the demarcated production area from vineyards containing the following combination of varieties:

—	Sangiovese, between 90 % and 100 %.

Grapes of the Colorino, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Mammolo, Pugnitello, Malvasia Nera, Foglia Tonda and Sanforte varieties, together or separately, may also be used in its production, for a maximum of 10 % of the area entered in the vineyard register.

The above provisions will enter into force from the fifth harvest following the date of approval of this amendment to the specification. Until that date, vineyards complying with the provisions of the current specification are also to be considered suitable for the production of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wine.

Reasons:

This amendment significantly diversifies the Gran Selezione indication and, used along with the name of the additional geographical unit, makes this traditional term increasingly characteristic of Chianti Classico wine.

Another key element defined by this proposal is the link with the territory that the Gran Selezione type must evoke. In this sense, the native grape varieties, together with Sangiovese, are certainly much more expressive and representative of the production area, our traditions and Chianti’s vineyards.

Data collected up to March 2021 show that there are 182 Gran Selezione labels on the market, produced by 154 vineyards. The product is widespread among our winegrowers who, during the mere 6 years since this new type was introduced, have worked to place on the market a wine aged for a full 30 months.

As regards the combination of varieties, an analysis of the available technical files showed that for 92 % of Gran Selezione labels, Sangiovese comprises over 90 % of the blend. In addition, ‘international’ varieties (such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah) make up only 15 % of all Gran Selezione wines.

The proposed amendment therefore defines in the specification methods of producing Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wine that winegrowers are already applying. Moreover, wines with the combination of varieties proposed have all been certified and this documentation, as indicated in Annex 2, is available from the association.

In order to ensure that all producers currently using international varieties have a reasonable period for adjusting the combination, we propose a deadline of five harvests following the date of entry into force of the proposal.

This amendment affects Article 2 of the product specification.

2.   Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Description:

For ‘Chianti Classico’ wine with the ‘Gran Selezione’ indication, one of the following additional geographical units relating to areas from which the grapes from which the wine was obtained actually originate may be used on the label, the territorial delimitation being defined in Annex 3 to this specification:

1.	Castellina

2.	Castelnuovo Berardenga

3.

Gaiole

4.

Greve

5.

Lamole

6.	Montefioralle

7.

Panzano

8.

Radda

9.	San Casciano

10.	San Donato in Poggio

11.

Vagliagli

The Lamole, Montefioralle and Vagliagli geographical units may be used on labels from the end of the third year after the entry into force of this amendment to the specification. At the end of this period, holdings with vineyards in those units which, for at least one harvest in the previous three years, have used the names of the respective Greve or Castelnuovo Berardenga units on their labels, may continue to use these names exclusively, provided that the protection association and the competent certification body are informed of it.

When labelling and presenting Chianti Classico wines, indications referring to names, company names or private trademarks may be used provided that they are not confused with the additional geographical units, are without prejudice to the respect of acquired rights, do not have laudatory purport and do not mislead consumers.

Regarding the labelling and presentation of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines, the name of the additional geographical unit must appear on the label in the same visual field as the mandatory information.

The additional geographical unit name must follow the traditional term ‘Gran Selezione’.

The letters of the additional geographical units must not exceed the height of those of the name Chianti Classico and the term Gran Selezione.

Reasons:

The key principles behind the proposal for additional geographical units for the Chianti Classico DO can be summarised as follows:

oenological recognisability; historical importance; renown; their voluntary nature.

The proposal provides for a single positive list comprising the following units: Castellina, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Gaiole, Greve, Lamole, Montefioralle, Panzano, Radda, San Casciano, San Donato in Poggio, Vagliagli.

The ‘Lamole’, ‘Montefioralle’ and ‘Vagliagli’ geographical units need more time to increase their oenological recognisability and renown, essential in order to integrate them uniformly and coherently with the other eight units, and we therefore request the option for them to be used on labels three years after the entry into force of the product specification.

Initially, the amendment will only apply to the Gran Selezione type which specifies that, among other characteristics, it must come from grapes harvested from vineyards owned or operated by the bottler (Article 4). In other words, this type of product cannot be marketed as wine in bulk and must therefore be produced in its entirety by its bottler. The current proposal to amend the specification to indicate geographical units only on this type makes the wine’s association with its area of origin particularly close, thus conveying a clear message and information to the consumer.

This option will therefore help reinforce, at this delicate initial stage of the project, the units’ objective of linking the wine to their specific areas, representing the excellence of the terroir and competing with the greatest Italian and foreign wines.

Labelling

The further amendments to Article 7 are all intended to safeguard the principle of correctly and clearly indicating the name of the PDO, the type and the geographical unit, ensuring that the visibility of the name of the designation is maintained.

Article 7 of the product specification and the ‘Further conditions’ point of the single document have been amended.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1.   Name(s)

Chianti Classico

2.   Geographical indication type

PDO - Protected Designation of Origin

3.   Categories of grapevine product

1.

Wine

4.   Description of the wine(s)

1.   ‘Chianti Classico’

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

—	colour: ruby red of varying intensity; - aroma: intense, floral, characteristic; - taste: dry, fresh, sapid, slightly tannic which matures over time; - minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12,00 % vol; - minimum sugar-free extract: 24,0 g/l.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum total acidity	4,50 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)	20,00
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

2.   Chianti Classico Riserva

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

—	colour: intense ruby red, tending to garnet with age; - aroma: intense, fruity and long-lasting; - taste: dry, well-balanced and very tannic; - minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12,50 %. - minimum sugar-free extract: 25,0 g/l.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum total acidity	4,50 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)	20,00
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

3.   Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

—

colour: intense ruby red, tending to garnet with age; - aroma: lingering and spicy; - taste: dry, lingering, balanced; - minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 13,00 %. - minimum sugar-free extract: 26,0 g/l Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation. General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)   Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)   Minimum total acidity 4,50 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) 20,00 Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5.   Wine-making practices

5.1.   Specific oenological practices

1.   Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Specific oenological practice

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione can only be obtained from grapes produced from vineyards operated by the bottling company.

5.2.   Maximum yields

1.   Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

52,50 hectolitres per hectare

2.   Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

7 500 kilograms of grapes per hectare

6.   Demarcated geographical area

The production area of Chianti Classico wines (including the ‘Riserva’ and ‘Gran Selezione’ varieties) is located in the centre of the Tuscany Region, in the territory of the provinces of Florence and Siena. Its boundaries were defined by the Interministerial Decree of 31 July 1932.

Description:

Beginning with a description of the boundaries of the part of this area located within the province of Siena and starting at the point where the border between the provinces of Siena and Arezzo intersects the Borro Ambrella della Vena gully near Pancole in the municipality of Castelnuovo Berardenga.

From that point, the boundary follows the Ambra river and one of its tributaries, which is unnamed, as far as the Ciarpella farm, then the mule track leading to the Casa al Frate farm. From there, it follows a virtual line as far as Ombrone (298-metre contour line).

Then it follows a mule track and reaches the 257-metre contour line, where it meets a cart path leading to the road to Castelnuovo Berardenga. It climbs that road as far as the 354-metre contour line and then follows the Malena Morta ditch to its confluence with the Borro Spugnaccio gully. The boundary continues along the Malena Morta ditch to Pialli (227-metre contour line). and then follows the Malena Viva ditch for a short stretch before proceeding along a virtual line toward Santa Lucia (altitude 252 and 265 meters) and the Arbia river. Upon reaching that river, the boundary follows it upstream along the administrative border between the municipalities of Siena and Castelnuovo Berardenga.

The production area’s boundary continues along the administrative borders of Siena, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castellina, Monteriggioni and Poggibonsi until it meets, at the Borro di Granaio gully, the border of the province of Florence, which it follows as far as the Le Valli farm. Afterwards, it follows the municipal road, passing by San Giorgio and the Cinciano springs and continuing along that line until it re-joins the provincial border, which is also the border between Poggibonsi and Barberino. It then follows the Drove river until it enters the province of Florence. Turning to the part of this area located within the province of Florence, initially, the boundary follows the Drove river as far as Mulino della Chiara, where it meets the administrative border between the municipalities of Tavarnelle and Barberino, which it follows for a short distance. It then bends around towards the east along another small stream, passing Biricucci and Belvedere before reaching immediately afterwards the San Donato-Tavarnelle road. It follows that road to Morocco and then traces a virtual line that, passing by Figlinella, reaches Sambuca and the Pesa river. Still following the course of the river, the boundary coincides with the administrative border between the municipalities of San Casciano Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle initially and then returns to the river after Ponte Rotto. From this point, the area’s boundary coincides with the administrative border of the municipalities of San Casciano and Greve. The boundary of the ‘Chianti Classico’ production area then re-enters the province of Siena and follows the administrative border of the municipalities of Radda in Chianti and Gaiole and, for a short distance, that of Castelnuovo Berardenga before reaching the point of departure of the description of this zone.

7.   Wine grape varieties

Sangiovese N. - Sangioveto

8.   Description of the link(s)

Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Morphologically the area is a complex of hills of between 200 m and 600 m above sea level, the slopes of which are not long but are sometimes steep.

Geologically the body of the region is a shield of shale (galestro) with areas of scaly clay alternating with fine calcareous sandstone and alberese soil. The soil is shallow, recent, and ranging from sandy-clay to pebbly with medium percentages of clay; chemically it is characterised by low organic matter, a reduced presence of assimilable phosphorous and a high number of exchangeable cations. The hilly terrain creates torrential streams and causes considerable difficulty in controlling the waters, including in relation to specific rainfall patterns. The area has a continental climate: temperatures in winter can be very low and summers are dry. The daily temperature range is moderate. Annual rainfall is around 850 mm.

The winemaking tradition in the territory is age-old, with records from Etruscan and Roman times linked to the world of wine. From the end of the Middle Ages large areas were dedicated to the cultivation of vines, which became financially significant and gained an international reputation. The wine produced has been mentioned in historical documents since 1200 and the first notarial deed in which the name Chianti appears in reference to wine produced in this area dates back to 1398. The Chianti Classico area was the first winemaking area in the world to be defined, in a 1716 proclamation by Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, which specified the boundaries of the area in which Chianti wines could be produced. Chianti wine was produced using only the Sangiovese grape variety. Between 1834 and 1837, Baron Bettino Ricasoli, an Italian statesman who was the Italian Prime Minister in 1861, published the most suitable composition for obtaining a pleasant, semi-sparkling red wine, which would subsequently become the basis for the official composition of Chianti wine: 70 % Sangiovese, 15 % Canaiolo, 15 % Malvasia and application of the ‘Governo all’uso Toscano’ wine-making technique. As production in the area could not meet the growing demand, neighbouring areas also started to produce wine using the same systems and grape blends as those in the Chianti area. Therefore, in 1924, 33 producers founded the consortium to protect Chianti wine and its mark of origin, and, in 1932, a decree granted wine from the oldest Chianti wine-growing area the right to use the ‘Classico’ label as wine produced in the historic area. In 1996, after a procedure lasting 70 years, Chianti Classico was recognised as being independent from the standard Chianti and given its own separate product specification.

Producers of this wine have always preferred to use the native Sangiovese vine variety, and they continue to preserve growing techniques that do not affect the particular characteristics of the grapes.

The traditional vine training methods are the Guyot ‘Tuscan arch’ system and the spurred cordon. The grape and wine yields per hectare have also been fixed at 7,5 tonnes of grapes or 52,50 hl of wine, the lowest in Italy. Vintage wine may not be released for consumption before 1 October of the year after the harvest.

The combination of natural and human factors gives Chianti Classico wine a fruity, round, dry, flavourful taste, a deep-red colour, good structure, alcoholic strength of not less than 12 % and moderate acidity.

Sangiovese, the main grape variety in Chianti Classico wine, is sensitive to external factors and has the distinctive quality of being able to interpret the characteristics of the soil and adapt to the ground in which it grows. It is no coincidence that the Sangiovese grape performs best in only a few areas of Tuscany. An organoleptic feature that characterises Chianti Classico is its floral bouquet of iris and violet typical of the sandstone soil of this area, with an aroma of wild berries deriving from the calcareous content.

The climate, hilly terrain and morphology of the land create an environment that is full of light and thus ideal for the grapes to ripen properly. High summer temperatures, plenty of sunshine continuing until September and October and a fairly high daily temperature range allow the grapes to ripen slowly and create the typical organoleptic and chemical characteristics of Chianti Classico, in particular its colour, bouquet and alcohol content. The low grape yield per hectare affects the grapes by bringing about sugar levels that are compatible with an alcoholic strength of no less than 12 °. Wine-making techniques may differ for the different vine varieties; these are usually made into wine separately to give their organoleptic properties full expression.

The professionalism of the Chianti wine growers as demonstrated by the history of this territory allows the reputation of Chianti Classico and its history to endure.

9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)

Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Legal framework:

EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Bottling within the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

With the exception of specific pre-existing situations referred to in Article 5 of the specification, bottling must take place within the demarcated geographical area to safeguard the quality and reputation of Chianti Classico, guarantee its origin and ensure the effectiveness of the relevant checks.

The particular characteristics and qualities of the Chianti Classico wine, which derive from the combination of natural and human factors, are linked to the geographical area of origin and require vigilance and effort in order to be preserved. By ensuring that operators in the ‘Chianti Classico’ wine sector are also subject to checks on bottling, the aim of the condition is to better safeguard the quality of the product and, consequently, the reputation of the designation, for which these operators are responsible.

Transporting the wine and bottling it outside the region of production could jeopardise its quality. Bottling in the production area is crucial to safeguarding the particular characteristics and quality of the product, as the application of and compliance with all the rules on transport and bottling is entrusted to holdings with the necessary knowledge and know-how as well as a fundamental interest in maintaining the reputation earned. Only those holdings have a thorough knowledge of the specific characteristics of Chianti Classico wine and are able to avoid impairing or losing them during bottling. The bottling of wine is clearly an important operation which, if not performed in accordance with strict requirements, may seriously impair the quality of the product. Bottling goes beyond merely filling empty recipients and entails a series of complex prior oenological steps (filtering, clarification, cold treatment, etc.) which, if not properly carried out, may compromise the quality and alter the characteristics of the wine.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional labelling requirements

Description of the condition:

In accordance with Article 53(1) of Regulation No 33/2019, wines marketed in the Community may label indications referring to certain production methods. The ‘Gran Selezione’ type is used to describe wines made using restrictive grape production and wine processing methods. Specifically, the wines may only be obtained from grapes produced from vineyards operated by the bottling company; they may not be enriched with external products and must have superior chemical/physical and organoleptic characteristics to the ‘Riserva’ type. In summary, the intention was to ensure that grape production and bottling were carried out by the same holding, without placing any further restrictions on the bottling area compared to those laid down and justified for the designation as a whole. ‘Gran Selezione’ is the top of the Chianti Classico range and it is obtained through the careful selection of the best vineyards and grapes by wine growers under their own responsibility. The additional condition of the requirement for producers of ‘Gran Selezione’ wine to bottle the wine themselves stems from the need to guarantee the achievement of all the specific characteristics of a product that is particularly complex and unique. It is therefore necessary, even more so for this type than for the standard Chianti Classico, for the phases of production, vinification and bottling to be carried out by a single entity in order to place responsibility for the quality of the product on a single operator.

Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional labelling requirements

Description of the condition:

The distinguishing feature of ‘Chianti Classico’ is the image of a black rooster, which, since 2005, must appear on all bottles of Chianti Classico DOCG wine.

This figurative logo and the words ‘Gallo Nero’ cannot and must never replace the name of the PDO Chianti Classico. The brand in question is merely an additional feature that must be placed on bottles of PDO Chianti Classico wine.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Legal framework:

EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional labelling requirements

Description of the condition:

One of the following additional geographical units may be used on the label relating to areas from which the grapes from which the wine was obtained actually originate, the territorial delimitation being defined in Annex 3 to the specification:

1.	Castellina

2.	Castelnuovo Berardenga

3.

Gaiole

4.

Greve

5.

Lamole

6.	Montefioralle

7.

Panzano

8.

Radda

9.	San Casciano

10.	San Donato in Poggio

11.

Vagliagli

Link to the product specification

https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/20089

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(1)   OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.