Same grape, different wine
Canaiolo around the world
Across 5 still-wine expressions, Canaiolo varies most on herbal / green character — from low in Chianti Classico Gran Selezione to medium-plus in Chianti Classico. That single axis carries most of the difference between them.
Where they differ
Only the dimensions on which these wines genuinely diverge. Anything varying by less than a scale point and a half is left out, because it would be noise.
| Dimension | Lowest | Highest | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbal / green character | Chianti Classico Gran Selezione | Chianti Classico | 3 points |
The expressions
Ordered from lightest to fullest, so the page reads as a gradient rather than a list.
Chianti Classico
Warm climateSangiovese from the historic hills between Florence and Siena: sour cherry, dried herbs and firm acidity, built for the table.
Against its siblings: more herbal and green.
- Warm climate. Fuller ripening tends to raise sugar and therefore alcohol, soften acidity, and push fruit character from tart towards ripe and jammy.
- Oak ageing. Extended time in barrel adds spice and structure and slowly softens tannin.
Chianti
Warm climateThe broad Tuscan Sangiovese appellation surrounding Chianti Classico — lighter, cheaper and much more variable.
Against its siblings: lighter, less tannic and softer, less oaky.
- Warm climate. Fuller ripening tends to raise sugar and therefore alcohol, soften acidity, and push fruit character from tart towards ripe and jammy.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Warm climateThe top tier of Chianti Classico, introduced in 2013: estate fruit only, longer ageing, and since 2023 a higher Sangiovese minimum.
Against its siblings: riper and less green, fruitier, rounder and creamier in texture.
- Warm climate. Fuller ripening tends to raise sugar and therefore alcohol, soften acidity, and push fruit character from tart towards ripe and jammy.
- Oak ageing. Extended time in barrel adds spice and structure and slowly softens tannin.
Chianti Classico Riserva
Warm climateChianti Classico held back for longer ageing before release — denser, more structured and longer-lived.
- Warm climate. Fuller ripening tends to raise sugar and therefore alcohol, soften acidity, and push fruit character from tart towards ripe and jammy.
- Oak ageing. Extended time in barrel adds spice and structure and slowly softens tannin.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Warm climateSangiovese from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano — and, confusingly, nothing to do with the Montepulciano grape.
Against its siblings: riper and less green.
- Warm climate. Fuller ripening tends to raise sugar and therefore alcohol, soften acidity, and push fruit character from tart towards ripe and jammy.
- Oak ageing. Extended time in barrel adds spice and structure and slowly softens tannin.
Nothing here is written by hand. The comparison is computed from the taste profiles held for each style, and the drivers listed under each wine are read off structured data — the region’s climate, the style’s recorded production methods, its oak and sweetness bands. That means this page cannot drift out of step with the style pages it describes, and it also means it says less than a wine writer would: a cause is only listed when the catalogue actually records it. See the taste model.