Celebrity match: Think Jude Law, stylish and seductive with an iconic celebrity lifestyle.

This truly is a Tuscan classic. Speak to anyone who has visited Tuscany on holiday and they will wax lyrical about the beautiful region and of vineyards nestled in the sun drenched hills each with a welcoming farmhouse and a table laden with Italian goodies. But the most iconic thing from Tuscany has to be Chianti, possibly the most famous wine from Italy.

In bygone days you would have got your Chianti in a bottle with a straw cover, and probably would have put a candle in it when you'd finished it. These days we like to focus more on the quality of the wine, and let you buy your own candlesticks! We couldn't possibly have created a range of 'classic' wines and not included Chianti. To be called ‘Chianti’ the wines must be produced according to strict criteria around yield levels, grape varieties and alcohol levels. This is identified by the DOCG ‘quality assurance’ reference - look out for the stamped labels on the bottle neck to identify this.

What we love is the richness which, rather than being overwhelming, retains a freshness making it perfect for a wide range of food.

Try Chianti with tomato based pasta sauces, with spinach & ricotta cannelloni, roast chicken or roast pork and cured meats (Italian salamis for instance). For cheese fans, try Chianti with a good quality piece of parmesan.

The Italians will also chill lighter-styled Chianti in the fridge for half an hour, treating is as they would a white wine when matching it with foods. Try gently chilled Chianti accompanied by seared tuna. At 12.5% alcohol, our Chianti is light enough for weekend lunches al fresco. 

Chianti origins & winery

We chose to partner with Vecchia Cantina to blend Radcliffe’s Chianti.

Vecchia Cantina is Tuscany’s oldest wine co-operative company and today its 400 members tend 1000 hectares of vineyards. The winery is situated in the breathtakingly beautiful area of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. This historic area has been making prestigious wines since the 17th century and the ancient hilltop town of Montepulciano is one of Tuscany’s gems to visit. The Cantina is the leading producer of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and scoops numerous international awards each year for its wines.