In 1716, Tuscany's penultimate Medici ruler, Cosimo III, anointed the region of Chianti, along with three smaller areas in the Florentine State, as the world's first legal appellations of origin for wine. This book tells the story of the ancient land named Chianti and the modern wine appellation known as Chianti Classico.

“Following their excellent Sicily book, Bill Nesto and Frances di Savino have tackled Chianti, one of the most fascinating, ancient, and traduced production areas in the world of wine, with their characteristic forensic thoroughness and enthusiasm. You will find you are reading not just about a wine but about a large chunk of Italian social and economic history over a period of centuries, including, most importantly, the present one, which, like every present, is the product of its past.”—Nicolas Belfrage, MW, author of The Finest Wines of Tuscany and Central Italy