Chianti Classico DOCG — a genuine Sangiovese wine

The territory of the Chianti Classico extends between the cities of Siena and Florence and is shared between the provinces of the two municipalities. The area is approximately 71,800 hectares (177,500 acres) and includes the entire territory of the municipalities of Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti and Radda in Chianti, and part of Barberino Val d'Elsa, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonsi, San Casciano Val di Pesa, and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. The characteristics of the climate, the land, and the altitudes make this small region of Tuscany excellent for the production of fine wines.

In common language, there has long been confusion between two different DOCGs: Chianti Classico and Chianti. There are two wines called Chianti Classico and Chianti, but just one historical region called Chianti — and the 'Classico' suffix is what distinguishes the two wines, each with its own production regulations, zones, and consortium.

Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, officially delimited the area of production of Chianti in 1716 — an area between Florence and Siena where Chianti had always been produced. As demand grew in the early twentieth century beyond what the original zone could supply, wine began being produced outside that historic boundary under the same name.

In 1924, producers in the original Chianti area founded the Consortium for the protection of the typical wine of Chianti, choosing the Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) — the historical symbol of the Military League of Chianti — as its brand. In 1932, a ministerial decree formally distinguished wine from the original zone by adding the word 'Classico', which is how Chianti Classico earned its name.