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It takes place in February, the second month of 2020, over two days, and for the second time the event opens its doors to the general public. 200 wine producers from the Gallo Nero participate and, on this occasion, we also celebrate 20 years of the DOP of Chianti Classico olive oil.

For the second time, Giovanni Manetti will do the honours and welcome guests as president of the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico. Two honorary ambassadors of Chianti Classico will be nominated during the course of this event, and two seminars will be dedicated to other top quality products of the Chianti area, the DOP olive oil and the Vin Santo DOC.

The number 2 repetition ends here, and we can leave the numerology experts to attribute any hidden meanings to it.

In reality the Chianti Classico Collection has many more impressive numbers to show: this year’s edition is in fact the twenty-seventh preview presentation of the Gallo Nero wines, with 740 labels offered for tasting.

A total of around 10,000 bottles of wine will be opened and served directly by the producers, helped by a team of 50 sommeliers.

There will be 300 journalists from 30 different countries and some thousands of operators in the sector, both Italian and not, tasting the wines.
And how many wines exactly? 56 barrel previews, for tasting, of the 2019 vintage and 127 premium labels of the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione.

But the Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) will still be king. As the brand and symbol of this wine denomination, it’ll have an unusual look, appearing in a variety of colours especially for the 2020 Collection.

The headline of the event, playing with an oxymoron, reads “Tutti i colori del Gallo Nero” (“All the colours of the Black Rooster”): to represent not just the wine’s various colours – the ruby ​​red, the violet of the grapes, the green vines – but also the brown shades of the soils and the blue Chianti skies.

This range of colours also symbolises the variety of the Black Rooster’s world, such as the different vintages, the various types of wines of this denomination, but also the role of the winemakers who year after year give their wines a unique, distinctive imprint.

Giovanni Manetti

“I’ve been taking part in the Collection since its first edition but every year is a new exciting experience – says Giovanni Manetti, President of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium – I’ll be honoured to welcome our many friends from the national and international press, and all the professionals who will come to visit us at the Leopolda. During this event we’ll have the opportunity to present the result of our work to a highly qualified public. We always do it with great enthusiasm, and a spirit of collaboration shown in the growing number of wine companies participating”.

“We’re aware – he adds – that the path of quality and respect for the territory that has been entrusted to us, is the only one possible. And not only to produce excellent wines that bring us the extraordinary results that public and critics have attributed to us for many years, but also to get the maximum satisfaction from what we do every day”.

“So – he concludes – it is with great pleasure that I’ll welcome all the guests coming to the Chianti Classico Collection, an event that grows with every year, not only in terms of participating wine companies, but also in the numbers and professionalism of its guests”.

Full program and opening time for the public

Monday 17th February and Tuesday 18th February will be dedicated to the press and professionals, with an exceptional opening on Tuesday afternoon: like last year, the general public will have access on February 18th from 2pm to 8pm – Entrance tickets cost 40 euro (20 euros for sommeliers who are members of the main national associations).

This year there’ll be a surprise for all loyal fans of the Gallo Nero: once inside the Leopolda it’ll be possible to participate in mini wine-tasting sessions led by experts and journalists, such as Italy’s top sommelier, Valentino Tesi, the well-known food and wine critic Leonardo Romanelli and the speaker Filippo Bartolotta (more info on www.chianticlassico.com).

The seminars

As usual, the Collection also includes some seminars for professionals in the sector. This year two are organised, dedicated to top-quality local products: the DOP Certification of the Chianti Classico Olive Oil (on Monday 17th February, 12pm – by Fiammetta Nizzi Grifi), and the DOC Vin Santo of Chianti Classico (Tuesday 18th February, 1.30pm – seminar led by Filippo Bartolotta).

Chianti Classico DOP olive oil

On the occasion of its twentieth anniversary, the DOP Chianti Classico olive oil will be given special visibility, thanks to two tasting stands set up by Chianti Classico DOP olive oil producers. One can be found in the wine tasting area and the other in the area dedicated to food.

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