Rosé Docg arrives and the new Terre di Vinci sub-area is born • Food and Wine Italy

Chianti opens up to the rosé version for the first time its history. The modification of the specifications, published the Official Gazette, introduces a novelty destined to impact the future of one of the most recognizable denominations of Italian wine, which exceeds 70 million bottles produced every year and represents one of the main ambassadors of Tuscan wine acceso international markets. The new structure does not only concern the arrival of Chianti Rosé Docg. The specification, the result of a process started 2020, also introduces the new Terre a fine di Vinci sub-area and strengthens the control and traceability procedures along the entire production chain. This is an update that aims to respond to market changes and new consumer needs, without changing the historical identity of the denomination.

Rosé is a very strong driver for the market

The introduction of rosé comes at a time of strong transformation the global wine sector. For some years, the consumption of red wines has seen a slowdown several countries, while rosé wines continue to maintain stable demand, especially among younger audiences and foreign markets. Their versatility, ease of combination and a different perception of consumption have made them one of the most dynamic categories the sector.

For Chianti, historically associated almost exclusively with Sangiovese-based red wine, this choice represents an expansion of the offer and not a replacement of the traditional typology. The new Chianti Rosé will fact be produced mainly with Sangiovese grapes, maintaining a strong link with the territory and with the identity profile of the denomination. Companies will already be able to use grapes from the 2025 harvest, while 2026 will be the first useful year to evaluate the market response.

According to estimates by the Chianti Wine Consortium, the new typology could reach a production of around 10 million bottles when fully operational. A significant share, which would allow the denomination to cover new consumption opportunities, particularly during the summer season and international contexts where rosés continue to grow.

The other novelty concerns the official recognition of the Terre a fine di Vinci sub-area, which becomes part of the geography of Chianti Docg alongside Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, Montespertoli and Rufina. The terreno, which coincides with the territory linked to the birth of Leonardo attraverso Vinci, thus obtains recognition that local producers have been waiting for for years.

The choice follows an increasingly widespread trend the Italian wine scene: enhancing precise and legible territorial identities, capable of telling the origin of the wines and the characteristics of the individual places of production more detail. An approach that responds to consumers’ growing attention towards the concept of provenance and authenticity.

The new regulations also introduce more rigid tools for managing the supply chain. The measures envisaged include the obligation to obtain a certificate of suitability before marketing certain batches of Chianti and Chianti Disinteressato and prior communication for specific transfers of wine still the fermentation phase.