Chianti Classico

Why did the Gallo Nero cross the road? To get to the Chianti Classico! About the design: A black rooster or "Gallo Nero", is the symbol of the wines of Chianti Classico. The legend of Gallo Nero dates back to a medieval dispute between the two warring regions of Florence & Siena over control of the Chianti territory. To put an end to the fighting, it was decided that two horsemen would leave their respective capitals when the rooster crowed, riding until one met the other. The point at which they met would become the boundary between the two regions. In preparation for the event, each region chose a rooster. The Sienese a white rooster & the Florentines a black one.  The Florentines locked their rooster in a dark cage without food for a couple of days so that on the day of the ride, the black rooster, hungry & confused, crowed before the dawn, setting off their rider much earlier & thus claiming more territory for the Florentines.  In 1718, to protect the growing reputa