{"id":6912,"date":"2021-01-25T03:35:43","date_gmt":"2021-01-25T08:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wine365.com\/?p=6912"},"modified":"2021-06-02T14:25:40","modified_gmt":"2021-06-02T18:25:40","slug":"chianti-classico-black-rooster-label","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wine365.com\/stage\/chianti-classico-black-rooster-label\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Up with the Chianti Classico Black Rooster?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all know the rooster crows at dawn. In fact, if you\u2019ve ever stayed in the hills of Tuscany, you have probably heard it. But what does that have to do with Tuscany\u2019s famous red wine Chianti Classico<\/strong>, and the black rooster<\/strong> emblem stamped on its bottle neck labels? Actually, quite a lot.<\/p>\n

Legend has it that once upon a time, a black rooster crowed early (as in before dawn) and as a result, became the symbol of Italy\u2019s great Chianti Classico wine<\/strong>. The tale is one that would leave PETA reeling.<\/p>\n

A Medieval Seinfeld vs Newman<\/h1>\n

Back in the Medieval days, Florence and Siena<\/strong> fought. A lot. In the 13th<\/sup> and 15th<\/sup> centuries, both cities expanded significantly in economic and military power. The resulting physical growth could only go so far, given one city\u2019s proximity to the other. The point of contention regarding the hills of Chianti, which sit between the two, came to a head in the early 1200s when the warring sides opted for a creative way to establish the respective borders.<\/p>\n

\"Winery
Tenuta di Nozzole in Chianti Classico<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Each city selected a horseman and a rooster for the exercise. Riders were to depart their city on horseback in the morning \u201cat the cry of the cock;\u201d<\/strong> where they met would determine their city\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n

The strategies employed by the respective cities were quite different. The Sienese used a well-fed white rooster as their starting gun. They theorized that a fat-and-happy rooster would produce a strong and pronounced crow. The Florentine opted to starve their black rooster<\/strong> in hopes it would crow early from hunger. For those of you with children, animals, or females in the house with frequent low-blood sugar (see: me), I think you know where this story is going. Not surprisingly, the Florentine rider was off well before sunrise after the black rooster crowed bright and early, while the white rooster wasn\u2019t up until dawn.<\/p>\n

When the two riders met, the Sienese was less than 20 kilometers into his journey. Thus, the bulk of the Chianti Classico region went to Florence.<\/strong> The moral of the story: pain is temporary, pride lasts forever. Because of the poor guy\u2019s pain, the black rooster is immortalized as a symbol of wine excellence. (Chill, animal lovers, I\u2019m not condoning cruelty to our furry and feathery friends.)<\/p>\n

Chianti Classico Black Rooster Label<\/h1>\n

Beyond the legend it signifies, what does the Chianti Classico Black Rooster mean<\/strong>? Wine classified with the Chianti Classico Black Rooster must adhere to strict government regulations, including:<\/p>\n