The U.S. premiere of Chianti Classico’s new top tier wine, Gran Selezione, drew an exceptional audience of trade and media recently  to the Metropolitan Pavilion.

The new wine category is a result of a radical revamping of the historic Tuscan DOCG. Until now, there were two quality types: the Annata (year’s vintage) and Riserva wines. The Gran Selezione, which crests above these categories, accounts for just 10% of Chianti Classico production and is expected to value at 70 to 100 million euros.

“We are uniquely updating a 300-year history of great passion and great success to further advance the territory in Italy and in international markets.” says Sergio Zingarelli, president of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium.

This event in New York follows the successful world launch in Florence at the former papal palace, Palazzo Corsini. The next stop for Gran Selezione on their world tour are the major Asian countries of China, South Korea and Japan in the Fall.

Gran Selezione wineries included in the tour were :

Gran Selezione is made exclusively from a winery’s own grapes grown in its finest vineyards according to strict regulations. In addition to having the chemical and organoleptic characteristics of premium quality wines, Gran Selezione can be marketed only after minimum 30-month maturation and an obligatory period of bottle refinement.

Gran Selezione will further consolidate, in Italy and abroad, the fame and prestige of what has become a real trademark of excellence, the Black Rooster brand: a jewel Made in Italy and impossible to reproduce anywhere else in the world. The Gran Selezione wines are distinctive for their perfect balance between elegance and potency, their great structure and ability to age.

Thanks to their great versatility – typical of all Chianti Classico wines – they are also suitable for even the most daring pairings with various international cuisines.