Chianti is made in the sun-drenched hills of Tuscany and enjoyed in candle-lit trattorias around the world. It remains the ultimate partner for a bowl of pasta, which has helped Chianti establish itself as Italy’s flagship red wine.
Why is Chianti Day on the first Friday of September?
An importer called Santa Margherita USA established Chianti Day in 2020. The Miami-based company, which represents several Chianti Classico estates, created the annual event “so people can officially celebrate this fantastic wine region with loved ones.”
The first Friday in September is the ideal occasion to enjoy Chianti, as the nights are drawing in and the weather is turning cooler. In Italy, the region’s producers are preparing for harvest, while wine lovers are ready to ditch the refreshing whites and rosés for something a little more robust.
It may have started out as an American campaign, but wine lovers across the globe have now fully embraced Chianti Day, which falls on 4 September in 2026.
If you’re joining in online, the hashtag is #NationalChiantiDay.
Seven centuries in the making
Chianti takes its name from a specific region in the rolling hills between Florence and Siena, where wine has been made for at least seven centuries. The villages of Castellina, Gaiole and Radda joined forces to create the League of Chianti during the Middle Ages.
The region lays claim to one of the oldest legal definitions in the wine world. In 1716, Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, issued an edict setting out exactly which villages could call their wine Chianti.
That made it one of the world’s first officially protected wine zones, nearly two centuries before France drew up its famous appellations. In 1872, Baron Bettino Ricasoli – a formidable statesman who also served as Italy’s second prime minister – settled on a blend built around the local Sangiovese grape, setting the region on a path to greatness.
In the 19th century, the term “Chianti” began to be applied to wines produced outside the original boundaries, covering a much larger area in Tuscany. This upset some wine lovers, who felt that the brand was being diluted.
Nowadays, the original delineated area is the more prestigious Chianti Classico DOCG, which was established in 1996. Wines from this area must contain at least 80% Sangiovese, and they must be aged for at least 12 months. Riserva wines need to be aged for a minimum of 24 months, while Gran Selezione wines need to be aged for at least 30 months.
The Chianti Classico DOCG covers around 6,800 hectares, and it has a reputation for producing complex, structured and age-worthy wines.
Meanwhile, the broader region is the Chianti DOCG. It covers around 15,500 hectares and spans a far more diverse range of terroirs. Sangiovese must make up at least 70% of these wines, and they aren’t subject to quite as stringent ageing requirements.
Basic Chianti wines are enjoyed young, but there are high-quality Superiore and Riserva wines from the Chianti DOCG. Some of the most respected sub-regions include Chianti Rufina and Chianti Colli Senesi.
The black rooster and the straw basket
The Chianti region has two famous icons: the black rooster and the straw basket. Legend has it that medieval Florence and Siena agreed to settle their border dispute with a race. A knight would set off from each city when the cock crowed, and the boundary would be drawn where they met.
The cunning Florentines chose a black rooster and starved it, so that it crowed well before dawn, and their knight galloped off early. He met his rival close to the gates of Siena, and Florence claimed most of the Chianti hills. The black rooster – Gallo Nero – is now displayed on the neck of every bottle of Chianti Classico.
Once upon a time, Chianti was served in a fiasco. Diners were accustomed to a squat bottle wrapped in a straw basket, which sat on tablecloths from Rome to New York. However, it came to symbolise an era when quantity trumped quality, so it was all but abandoned.
From the 1980s onwards, the region reinvented itself. Regulations were tightened, and the fading of the fiasco symbolised Chianti’s rebirth (although it has had a mild hipster revival in recent years).
Today the region is responsible for some of Italy’s most celebrated reds, with Chianti Classico Gran Selezione comfortably sitting alongside Barolo and Brunello on wine lists.
However, you don’t need to break the bank to enjoy a delightful glass of red wine on Chianti Day. The region offers impressive wines at a wide range of price points, so take this opportunity to open a bottle and enjoy it with some delicious Italian food.
What does it taste like?
- Body: Medium-bodied
- Typical flavours: Cherry, red plum, raspberry and cranberry, with notes of dried herbs and tomato leaf, plus leather, tobacco and spice in aged examples
- Top regions: Chianti Classico, between Florence and Siena, is the historic heartland, while the wider Chianti region includes respected zones like Chianti Rufina and Colli Senesi
- Similar to: If you enjoy Rioja, Barbera or Valpolicella, try Chianti
- Food pairings: Tomato-based pasta dishes, pizza, lasagne, grilled steak, roast pork, salami and aged pecorino cheese
- When to drink: Most Chianti is best enjoyed within two to five years of vintage, but Riserva and Gran Selezione wines can age gracefully for a decade or more
DWWA 2026: See award-winning Chianti wines
Castello di Cacchiano, Gaiole Millennio, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021
Platinum, 97 points
Regal and imperious: a gamut of black plum, cherry and spicy tobacco mottles the nose and inhabits the palate alongside grasping tannins and vibrant sweet and sour acidity. A steadfast mineral backbone drives the powerful finish. Alcohol 14.5%
Castello Del Trebbio, Vigneto Lastricato Terraelectae, Chianti Rùfina Riserva 2021
Patinum, 97 points
An elegant pas de deux of blue and black fruit dancing amid smoky mineral and mellow oak nuance. Weighty and elaborately textured with smoothed out tannins and vibrant pulsating acidity. Very long and infinitely enjoyable. Alc 13.5 %
Castello Di Radda, Vigna Il Corno Radda, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020
Gold, 95 points
Voluminous and layered displaying abundant red cherry, balsamic and dried mushroom aromas over zingy acidity and satin tannins. Beautifully textured with a long rose petal finish. Alc 14.5%
Carus, Baldero, Chianti Classico 2021
Gold, 95 points
Packed with vim, verve and high-tone aromatics: red cherries, plums, raspberries and damsons with a lick of juniper. Assertive tannins and ample structure portray ageing potential. Alc 14%
Melini, Tesco finest*, Chianti Classico Riserva 2021
Value Gold, 95 points
Capacious red plum, sour cherry and dried floral notes within a finely-tuned structure of smooth tannins; there’s a balsamic edge to the long finish. Alc 13.5%
Tenute Fusi, Torre Prumiano, Chianti Classico 2022
Gold, 95 points
Authentically portrayed, displaying subtle floral, plum, clove and woodsmoke aromas over the ample structure, with energising sour cherry acidity and bold tannins surrounding. Long and fulfilling.
Alc 14.5%
Pieve Di Campoli, Cortine, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020
Gold, 95 points
Laden with red berries, cherries, savoury herbs and cured meats that bound over the vibrant palate, gathering hearty tannins and structure as they go. Very long. Alc 15%
Poggio Petroso, Chianti Classico Riserva 2021
Gold, 95 points
Shimmering aromas of red cherry, oregano, sage and iodine, underpinned by clove and woodsmoke nuances. Proudly energetic with driving acidity and rustic texture. Wonderful typicity. Alc 14%
Villa Di Rignana, Panzano, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021
Gold, 95 points
An incredible expression of red cherries, cranberries and aromatic green herbs mingled with smoky vanilla and clove spice. Smooth and slick with endless gastronomic power. Alc 15%
Fattoria La Vialla, Vino Del Babbo Sant’Apollinare, Chianti Riserva 2021
Silver, 93 points
Elegant and savoury, pepper and spice notes mingle with ripe red cherry, black plum and blood orange. Modern and rich style. Alc 14.5%
Search all award-winning Chianti wines from DWWA 2026
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(Image credit: Future)
