Chianti Classico – we have our map, now where do we go?

Michael Schmelzer, who runs the Chianti Classico estate Monte Bernardi in Panzano, writes:

When it first became official that the required majority of the producers of the Chianti Classico Consorzio had approved the creation of a new top tier category, Gran Selezione, alarm bells rang in the minds of many small producers. Our hope was for better understanding and promotion of Chianti Classico via clearer, more meaningful labelling that would focus on territorial differences, and not another tier that serves larger, market-dominating estates wishing to bolster their marketing arsenal with this shortsighted strategy.