Coq Fight: Chianti Classico Showdown

The Classico wines Of Chianti come from the original and superior wine-growing, mountain-air-cooled hills between Florence and Siena. Their quality has been recognised as far back as 1716 and the story goes that the land disputes of the region between the cities of Siena and Florence would be decided by an early-morning horse race from their respective cities: where the two riders met, the new border would be re-drawn. Sienna chose their happiest, most well-fed rooster hoping for that most vigorous and victorious crowing while Florence, soon to be champion, chose its grouchiest and hungriest, early-rising counterpart.

Used as an emblem by the local militia chosen to defend the towns around Gaiole and Radda circa 1250 the black rooster became a symbol of vigilance and strength of the region. Sometime after the hills became known as the land of the Gallo Nero and later in 1932 the black coq would be adopted as the symbol of the consortium put in charge to promote and protect the wines of Chianti Classico.

A wonderful and colourful history that has culminated the last few decades with a golden age of Chianti Classico and with the last two vintages to hit our shores proving to be some of the best back-to-back seasons we have seen in some time, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity for a showdown of 2020 and 2021 vintage Chianti Classico.