Chianti Classico Collection 2013

Twenty years of great previews: the 2013 Chianti Classico Collection at the Leopolda From February 18 to 20 the Stazione Leopolda in Florence will be the stage for the many Black Rooster wines starring at the Chianti Classico Collection, this year celebrating its twentieth anniversary. February 18 will be for the trade, the 19 and 20 for the press. There will be about 500 labels to be tasted among the latest Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva wines on the market, plus barrel previews of the 2012 vintage and the IGTs made in Black Rooster territory. The Leopolda will also host a presentation of the latest news from the DOCG, for which the members assembly has approved a revamping. Twenty years have passed since the first Chianti Classico Preview. In 1993 only a few dozen wine writers attended the event but the number of them registered for its twentieth edition demonstrates that it's become one of the biggest draws on the international wine show calendar. From February 18 to 20 the lovely setting of the Stazione Leopolda in Florence will be welcoming some 200 accredited wine journalists from 29 different countries: Italy, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Serbia, Holland, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Ukraine, Finland, France, Belgium, Greece, Switzerland, Croatia, the United States, Japan, Canada, China, South Korea, Australia, India, Israel and Brazil. And over time the event has also become one not to be missed for the trade, to the point that beginning with last year's edition the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium, the event's organizer, decided to devote an entire day to these important partners. And this year it will be precisely the trade to inaugurate the Collection on February 18, a day dedicated wholly to sector operators and experts. From 9:30 am to 6:30 pm (last admission at 5:30) members of the trade who registered online will be able to sample the labels of the more than 150 Chianti Classico wineries participating in the event. On the following day the doors of the Stazione Leopolda (featuring interiors designed by architect Alessandro Moradei) will open to members of the press, who in two days (February 19 and 20) will be able to sample something like 500 labels of the latest vintages of Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva on the market, along with barrel previews of the 2012 and the IGTs made in Black Rooster territory. As always, the Collection provides an occasion to talk about the latest news from the Chianti Classico DOCG, and the biggest at this twentieth edition are the changes to production regulations foreseen in the revamping of the denomination recently approved by consortium members. These include the creation of a new type of Chianti Classico and restyling of the famous Black Rooster logo, both to be presented on Tuesday during the press conference to be held at the Leopolda at noon. While press admission is exclusively by invitation, members of the trade can sign up for the event by filling out the online registration form.