Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/118688
ITALY Traversing Tuscany CHIANTI UPDATE AND REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS story and photos by Deborah Parker Wong A fter confirming that the term biologico on Italian wine labels indicates organic, it made sense that some of the most compelling wines to cross our path at Tuscany's Buy Wine Fair held in Florence last month are produced organically. The Fair showcased the wines of 150 producers from across Tuscany, providing a snapshot of the region at large and pointing to trends including organic labeling and efforts on behalf of Tuscan producers to cultivate tourismo di vino beyond the beaten path of Chianti's Route 222, or La Chiantigiana. A week of on-theground reporting that followed Buy Wine revealed a glimpse of the future for a region rich in wine, history and culture. Reaching For New Heights Winery building at Fattoria del Cerro, Montepulciano. 1 14 / the tasting panel / april 2013 In a move to revive Chianti's quality image on the global market, the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico has now given producers the option of labeling their wines Gran Selezione (Great Selection) if they are produced from estate fruit and meet a new 30-month aging requirement. The Gran Selezione tier sits above Chianti and Chianti Classico at the top of the quality pyramid and the category makes a step towards conveying the differences that exist between the various villages and in the marked improvements Dievole's Alberto Antonini in quality at all levels that are and Bulgheron. evident across the region. The designation was introduced at the Chianti Classico Collection 2013 tasting held in Florence, where some 130 producers, organized by village to better differentiate both their wines and their terroirs, were pouring 2010 Riserva releases and previews of 2011 and 2012, which didn't disappoint. The region's iconic gallo nero black rooster logo has also been given a makeover and relocated from the official seal to the bottle for more visibility.