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der-pizzameister der-pizzameister is offline
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Default 'Chianti' Riserva?

Dear Filippo,
I am not going to discuss most of the points from your post simply because I
think that an extensive discussion about the Chianti region has already
appeared on afw and probably went much beyond the scope of this group.
I only find that the whole thing would have been a bit more amusing if there
was an adequate counterpart to oppose your thesis.
Anyway if you wished to discuss those points my email address is
(replace "3" with "e"): dani3l3martini (at) gmx (d0t) n3t

Here I only wish to point out that:

In my reply to UC I clearly spoke of Chianti Classico production area.

The map which url you have posted is not clear for several reasons.

Due to the unhappy choice of colours some part of the generic Chianti area
in the province of Arezzo can easily be confused with the subzone
named "Chianti Colli Senesi" (both are depicted in yellow).

This map is a unique artwork most likely from a castellinese, raddese or
gaiolese (*) folk (or at least by someone whose primary intent was to
publish a content suggesting a supposed preeminence of one part over the
rest of the Chianti Classico production area).

(*) italian names for citizens from three municipalities within the Chianti
Classico production area.

I have never seen a map of that kind in books, magazines, fliers, etc.
Make a google image search and you will find:

-maps of the Chianti production area with the *whole* Chianti Classico zone
in the same colour. Like this one (the tiny Montespertoli area has not been
taken into account, probably that one is an old map):
http://www.italyandwine.net/mappe/chianti.gif

-maps of the Chianti Classico subzone with each municipality territory
displayed in its own colour. A sample he
http://tinyurl.com/39ln4s

That artwork submitted to wikipedia is really innovative because it clearly
put a focus on a subset of the territory of the Chianti Classico production
area. By the way, it is worth to recall that according to the Chianti
Classico wine regulations such subset simply does not exist as a separate
entity. And since 1932 -that is almost eighty years ago- wine from San Polo
in Chianti (yes I know that pronunciating that toponym might have
urticating effects on some people's ears ;-) ) can be bottled as Chianti
Classico just like wine from the grapes growing under the Brolio Castle
walls.

Take the name of the file: "Sottozone chianti it.jpg"
That means that the purpose of the image should be to illustrate the
boundaries of the Chianti and Chianti Classico denominations as well as the
Chianti denomination subzones. That is not exactly what such a map does.
Indeed if you talk about Chianti subzones you would just have to stick to
the different production zones as they were defined in the disciplinary
regulations published a few decades ago (let's not mix a matter subject to
present time regulations and laws with historical documents from the
eighteenth century)

Wine made in the eighteenth century has nothing to share with the present
time Chianti and Chianti Classico denominations (beside of course the
word "Chianti"). So, once again, why putting such stuff from the ancient
times when talking about "XX-th century" Chianti subzones? Chianti subzones
are a matter of strict wine regulations - or call it bureaucracy if you
hate those Chianti wine fellows and the way the two denominations were
created - but, please, make things less puzzling than they actually are and
avoid the use of a superfluous blue etching when illustrating Chianti
subzones.

I am not saying that the map is presenting false information. The blue area
inside the red one has an historical meaning. The map is just presenting a
mix of true things. Which not always lead to a good outcome.

Kind regards.

Daniele