Some months ago while participating in the innovative dinning experience Grub With Us, I met the daughter of a Chianti winemaker who is making a way for herself here in Chicago as a boutique food supplier with the Scrumptious Pantry. She talked about how difficult it is as a Chianti producer from the outskirts to get people to take your wine seriously; you’re either Classico, or you’re cheap shit that comes in a straw cradle.
Quite honestly, I wouldn’t think much of these wine cozies, called fiasco in Italian, if it weren’t for the constant self-referencing I’ve heard and read from Chianti producers. There aren’t many in the great American wild these days, and I guess they do look cheap after all.
But, two things: one, I sometimes feel that Wine professionals forget that most people are normal and have lives where they aren’t worried about the differences between Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. They care about mundane things, like: are the Bears going to be 5-2, or 4-3 on Monday morning? Apple TV, or Google TV? Why can’t I sync my phone with my computer?! In short, they go on crusades over things that may be important, but most people don’t care about.
And two, from my experience, people know Chianti, and have a general idea of what to expect: it’s red and goes great with spaghetti and meatballs. Chianti claimed 5 of the 20 most searched wines on Snooth recently, and all but one are from the inner sanctum of Chianti Classico.
Putting these two things together, I think the general perception is this: people are mainly buying Classico, despite the fact that there is vast mountain hillsides filled with Chianti vines. The reason is because all but Chianti Classico is perceived as cheap, straw-bound bottles that serve double duty hanging as decorations and providing terrible wine-by-the-glass options at hole in the wall Italian eateries. It’s a fiasco because of the fiascos (I was legally required to use that pun.)
I’ve got the opportunity to chill with members from the Vino Consorzio di Vino Chianti in Chicago next week. These people are here to pimp out their juice, but at some level they’re here to get red-blooded American wine-drinking vitals (whether they realize it or not.)
So I wanna know…
Denizen wine drinkers of America, lend me your thoughts on Chianti! Do you think this is the diagnosis? What’s your perception of Chianti? What would make you choose regular ol’ Chianti over the thousands of other options available to you at your wine shop?
Just free-write, don’t edit, go. I’ll report back with answers next week.
