Chianti Classico makes a fine accompaniment for the flavors of Tuscan cuisine but it can also be teamed up with a large number of dishes.

In particular, red meats cooked on the grill can be matched by wines with medium bodies and limited tannins, while more elaborate meat dishes require more structured wines.

The great Riservas are ideal as accompaniments for dishes of game and mature cheeses.

Preserved in the bottle for months if not years, the wine needs to be oxygenated before being served; that’s especially true of a Riserva.

For this purpose, the bottle should be opened several hours before consumption.

If this is not possible, the wine can be decanted.

It is poured slowly into a carafe and it quickly absorbs oxygen.

The ideal serving temperature is 16 -18 degrees C. (61- 64° F.). If the temperature is too high, it risks suffocating the alcohol in the bouquet; if it is too low, the acidity will lose its equilibrium.

No less important is the choice of the correct goblet.

To exploit a Chianti Classico wine to the maximum and exalt the bouquet, a tulip shaped goblet is necessary. 

The rim should taper slightly inward. A young wine requires a smaller goblet, while a Riserva needs a more ample glass.