Chianti is produced in Tuscany and is a red Italian wine that traditionally came in a straw basket bottle.  Only a few wine makers still bottle it in this fashion.  Chianti is also the name of a region or wine area near the villages of Radda, Castellina and Gaiole.  In 1932 the area was divided into seven sub areas. 
In order for a wine to be labeled Chianti it must contain at least 80% of Sangiovese grapes.  Chianti Classico comes from the biggest sub region of Chianti. The Gallo Nero or Black rooster may be found on the neck of the bottle. It lets the consumer know that the winemaker is part of the Gallo Nero Consortium, a group from the Classico area that share the marketing cost of their wine.  Chianti dates back to the 13^th century near and in the Chianti Mountains around Florence. 
The phylloxera epidemic took its toll on the region of Chianti.  This made many Italian vineyard workers immigrate to newer lands. The ones that stayed behind planted higher yielding clones of Trebbiano and Sangiovese.  By the late 20^th century, winemakers experimented and tried to make a higher quality Chianti outside of DOC regulations that resulted in the creation of Super Tuscans. 
Chianti Classico wines are mostly medium bodied with high acidity and firm tannins.  There are a few different styles of Chianti that fall under a DOCG classification. They are Chianti, Chianti Classico, Chianti Superiore, and Chianti Classico Riserva .  The various levels of acidity in the wine make it very easy to pair.  Italian cuisines with red sauce, lamb, beef and wild game go well with Chianti.