The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium was founded in 1924, making it a century old next year. For the centennial celebrations, among other things, a book on its history is planned to be published, which I devoted myself to as soon as work on the Essential Guide closed.
On behalf of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium and for Giunti types, I am making – together with Paolo De Cristofaro, with whom I shared many years of work at the Red Prawn – a book celebrating the 100th anniversary of that consortium, the oldest in Italy, due out in March next year.
The provisional title is. On the trail of the Black Rooster and tells about how it was formed, who were the key players in the scene and how, in essence, have been going on these hundred years. We revived long-standing documents, conducted interviews (especially Paul), and retraced episodes that had fallen into oblivion. Above all, rediscovered characters who were true visionary giants in the world of Italian, even before Tuscan, wine. Italo De Lucchi, Gino Sarrocchi, at the beginning. Names that say little to anyone today, but were real stars of the wine scene many years ago. Then Baron Luigi Ricasoli Firidolfi, his son Bettino (Francesco Ricasoli’s father), and Lapo Mazzei, historic president from 1974 to 1994.
And many other key players, including producers, politicians, professors. Passing through the choice of the brand name, the Black Rooster, through the battle for the recognition of the appellation of origin, with the historical diatribe between Chianti and Chianti Classico, all the way to the Gran Selezione and the Additional Geographical Units. An exciting story of people, events, natural disasters, such as the great frosts of 1956 and 1985, and human, with World War II (although prodromes also involve the Great War).
In addition, we started from afar. The Foreword begins with the battle of Montaperti in 1260 and Colle in 1269, between Guelphs, led by the Florentines, and Ghibellines, led by the Sienese. In short, I had to brush up on my college-era historical knowledge. Remember great professors, Medievalist Paolo Brezzi, Rosario Romeo, with whom I supported Modern History, and Renzo De Felice, for Political Parties. A few episodes were really exciting. The great duel in 1957 at the Georgofili Academy between Professor Giovanni Dalmasso and Baron Luigi Ricasoli Firidolfi, then President of the Consortium, has something epic about it and a play could be made of it. But he is not the only one. The texts are being finalized these days, the book, as mentioned above, will be presented in March 2024 at the Centennial celebration and will also be in bookstores. I really hope you can enjoy it at least as much as we are enjoying writing it.
