Chianti is a wine traditionally made in the Chianti region of Tuscany. It is one of Italy's most famous red wines. Traditionally viewed as an affordable wine, more high-quality and high-priced variants have been brought to market in the early 21st century.
Fairly recently, Chianti traded in its traditional "Gallo Nero" or Black Rooster label for a more generic one with the term Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) that pertains to most Italian wines. Italian wines without this label may have not "passed" the control tests mandated for the label.
History
Chianti is a region in Tuscany. The area is divided into seven sub-sections to take advantage of the name recognition created by the popularity of the wine. The versatility of the wine and its exportability have made it very popular and as a result, generally less expensive. To differentiate itself from other wines, it was packaged in a straw basket, called a fiasco. The empty basket was then used as a candle holder in Italian restaurants. Today the wine is associated with the novelty of the basket, and Italian cuisine. It has begun, however, to break through that stereotype, with some high quality variants.
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