Archeologists found 2,500 years old grape seeds in Tuscany. The University of Naples “Federico II” is studying them to understand from which grapes they are from.

“Seven parts of Sangiovese (red grape), two of Canaiolo (red grape) and one of Malvasia(white grape)”: this is the ancient recipe of the Chianti according to the “Iron Baron” Bettino Ricasoli, the second Italian Prime Minister after Cavour and the father of one the most famous Italian wines. Ricasoli was an expert researcher of wines, and used to the experiment and try different recipes in the Castle of Brolio in the second hald of the 19th century.

His recipe was the one of the Chianti drunk in the Risorgimento, but the one enjoyed by the Romans or the Etruscans 2,500 years ago, in the area the English called the “Chiantishire”, must have been pretty different!

To answer this question the University of Naples “Federico II”, together with the Florida State
University, will study more then 400 grape seeds found in Cetamura, Gaiole – in the heart of Chianti Classico – property of the Badia estate in Coltibuono, historical vineyard estate of the middle age, today owned by the family Stucchi Prinetti.

And maybe we will discover the recipe of the Chianti that was drunk 500 years before Christ!