Chianti Renaissance: A new generation from a storied appellation.

On Wednesday, March 1 (5-7 pm), we will be joined by Alessandra Casini Bindi Sergardi, above, the current generation of one of Chianti’s most celebrated families, with roots that stretch back to the 14th century.

Her wines, which we will be tasting at our weekly complimentary tasting, are part of a wave of Chianti and Chianti Classico producers who have brought a new energy to one of the world’s most iconic wines and one of Italy’s most storied appellations.

Long before Brunello or Barolo became popular among collectors in Italy and the U.S., the Sangiovese grape — the heart and soul of Chianti — was one of Italy’s most important varieties and it was used to make some of the nation’s most coveted wines. That legacy took a different direction in the 1970s and 80s when winemakers along the Chianti trail began blending international grapes into their wines in a hope to appeal to wine lovers in the U.S. and other foreign markets.

Over the last two decades, young winemakers like Alessandra have taken over their family estates and shifted their focus back to native grape varieties and traditional winemaking practices. Along the way, their farms, Alessandra’s included, have adopted organic and sustainable growing practices. As a result, the quality of the wines has improved greatly. The wines “speak of place,” in other words, they express the terroir — the unique confluence of soil type, climate, exposure, and human intervention — of the magical land where they are raised.

Next Wednesday, we’ll be tasting four wines by Alessandra’s family’s estate, Bindi Sergardi. They are part of a larger offering of “Chianti worth craving” that we are featuring on our site.

Here’s what she’ll be pouring:

Bindi Sergardi “Achille” 2020 Toscana ($22.98)
Bindi Sergardi “Al Canapo” 2020 Chianti Colli Senesi ($26.98)
Bindi Sergardi “Ser Gardo” 2018 Chianti Classico ($35.98)
Bindi Sergardi “Calidonia”2018 Chianti Classico Riserva ($59.98)

We hope you can join us next week to meet Alessandra and experience her incredible wines. Born and raised in Chianti, she’s a true Tuscan winemaker, an expression of the same terroir that makes her wines so great. Click here to see our complete Chianti offering.