The Black Rooster

BY RICCARDO TARABELSI

No, don’t worry; you’re not in the wrong section. This is a wine article, I promise, not a riveting documentary on melaninrich fowl. Growing up in Florence, Italy, I had the privilege of sipping local wines at a young age. Luckily for me, the local wine of Florence is Chianti! It’s still one of my favorite wines to drink to this day, especially on a warm August night with some penne and homemade marinara sauce. When it comes to picking out a good bottle of Chianti, here’s the golden rule: pick one with the black rooster on it! I started doing a little more research on the origins of this peculiar symbol that appears on some of the best bottles that Tuscany has to offer.

The original Chianti was defined in 1716, by the Medici family and included the area around Gaiole, Greve, Radda and Castellina. The borders were extended and redrawn in 1932, to stretch to the north of Florence, south to Castelnuovo Berardenga, west to Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, and east to the Chianti Mountains.

There are now 8 sub-zones: Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentino, Colline Pisano, Colli Senesi, Montalbano, Montespertoli, and Rufina. But here is the interesting story that I am constantly in search of: the legend of the rooster!

Gallo Nero which in Italian means black rooster, is the symbol for the region’s Chianti Classico producers association, and you

will find it on the necks of the bottles from this region. Its origins (keep in mind the story comes from an old man from Siena) began in the 12th century when Florence and its rival Siena were continually warring over the rich territories between the two cities.

Legend has it that they would resolve this quarrel with a race involving two knights, one from each city. The rules were agreed upon... the two knights would start the race when the cock crows. The point where the knights meet would be the new border.

This is where it gets interesting... allegedly the Florentines had a black rooster which they kept unfed for days, so by the morning of the race it crowed well before dawn. Thus, the Florentines had an advantage because their knight

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left first and rode many miles deeper into rival territory, reaching Fonterutoli, a territory of Castellina. So, the border was established in Castellina, close to Siena, in a place they named Croce Fiorentina.

The only thing I like better than a good bottle of wine is a good story that goes with it! Next time you’re at your local wine store, be sure to peruse the Chianti section. Check the neck of the bottle for the infamous black rooster, a sure sign that you are getting an original Chianti. Carpe Chianti!

For all of your wine questions, contact Riccardo at riccardo@rwinebar.com or go down to R Wine Bar & Kitchen on the East Bank of Downtown Sioux Falls where you will find Riccardo, his wife Marybeth, and at least one of their boys, Dante, Berent, and Jaxon. www.rwinebar.com.

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