Taste of Italy’s Chianti for wine lovers in Seoul

The 2022 Chianti lovers Asian Tour was held Tuesday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, bringing together wine experts of Italy and Korea.

Representatives from 14 different wineries showcased their masterpieces to domestic wine importers and managers from bars and restaurants.

Hosted by Wine 21.com, a South Korean wine portal established in 1998, the wine tasting and trade event focused on Chianti, wine produced in central Tuscany in Italy.

Visiting each winery booth, participants started out by tasting the notes of a humble Chianti, then moved on to Chianti Riserva, and finally, Chianti Classico.

“We try to make our Chianti shorter in bottle, and longer in barrel,” said Raffaele Anzuoni, sales manager of Piandaccoli Winery.

Anzuoni advised novice wine enthusiasts to choose from those that came out in 2015 and 2016. “The two years had especially dry and very sunny weather in Italy and most regions across Europe. They are mostly guaranteed to be of decent quality.”

The 2015 Cosmus Chianti Riserva of Piandaccoli was rich, possessing various layers. It carried a mix of balanced spiciness and sweetness of red plums, blackberries and other berries. The sweet palate gradually faded away with a leathery and bitter finish, which stayed long on the palate. 

At some popular booths were bottles featuring a black rooster symbol against a gold background. The “Gallo Nero,” originated from the 13th century League of Chianti, and is used today as symbol for Chianti Classico wines.

Premium Chianti wines also have a DOCG (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) mark attached on top of the bottle. According to Italian wine law, the DOCG is the highest designation of quality among Italian wines.

Apart from Chianti, Grignano Winery introduced Truffle Italia’s new Truffle Gin, which was launched in Italy just two months ago. 

“We are proud to be introducing our truffle gin to Korea, along with canned truffle popcorn that is a steady selling snack for Italians.” Tommaso Inghirami, Grignano Winery’s commercial director, said.

The gin option is a notable trend among Italian celebrities, due to the trendy label designs, according to Inghirami.

With a mix of truffle, basil, lime, apple, and a variety of plants and fruits solely grown and produced in Italy, the gin carries an earthy and fruity palate.


By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)