TWO GREAT WINE DENOMINATONS AND UNESCO HERITAGE HAVE TEAMED UP. CHIANTI CLASSICO AND CHAMPAGNE WILL COLLABORATE TO MEDIATE TERRITORIES, PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE BRANDS IN THE WORLD. THE AGREEMENT WILL BE SIGNED IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

Two great names in the international wine world and Unesco heritage have teamed up. Champagne, which is already World Heritage ("Coteaux, Caves et Maisons de Champagne", ed.), and Chianti Classico, which has recently begun the path towards the prestigious award with the candidacy of Chianti, have together laid the foundation for an important collaboration on several fronts. The president of the Consorzio del Vino Chianti Classico Sergio Zingarelli made the announcement during the exchange of bottles of Gallo Nero and French bubbles, together with the CEO of the Comité Champagne, Vincent Perrin, in the Salone dei Cinquecento of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, during the celebration of 300 years after the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de 'Medici, in 1716 issued an edict delineating, for the first time, the boundaries of the current Chianti Classico wine production territories, Pomino-Chianti Rufina, Valdarno di Sopra and Carmignano.

The alliance is being finalized and shall be officially signed in the next few weeks. “It will be a collaboration of excellence, between Chianti Classico and one of the most important wine producing areas in the world, namely Champagne”, said Zingarelli, standing next to Perrin. “We are studying the collaboration protocol that will be signed in the next few weeks. We will focus on various factors: governing policies of the two territories as well as protecting our names and brands worldwide. Champagne has a lot to teach us. In addition, there will be cultural exchanges and experiences. Probably”, continued the president of Chianti Classico Wine Consortium, “we'll even set up communication campaigns to support the two excellent wine productions, French and Italian, in the world”.

Zingarelli reminded the audience that the agreement was presented in Florence, already a UNESCO Heritage, “which for many years, since 1954, has formed a partnership with Reims, one of the capitals of Champagne. I am honored to establish this partnership agreement”. The Minister of Agricultural Policies, Maurizio Martina said, “We are ready to work for the candidacy to Unesco Heritage of Chianti, the territory of Chianti Classico. I believe it is our duty to work together to achieve the highest level of recognition for the history of excellence that is Chianti. Taking this commitment to celebrate the 300 years of this experience is a bet on the future that we must win together”.