Chianti Colli Aretini is one of Chianti's seven sub-regions located in the heart of Tuscany in central Italy. Wines produced in the Colli Aretini zone may use the title as well as Chianti's usual DOCG designation, distinguishing it from other Chianti wines. These Sangiovese-dominant red wines are considered to have a lighter body, more noticeable acidity and a less-complex bouquet than other wines in Chianti.
The zone covers land in the Arezzo area in the eastern part of Tuscany, and yields some 35,000hL of wine per year. It encompasses the valley of the Arno river as it flows north toward Florence. Colli Aretini shares a border with its more distinguished cousin Chianti Classico, which was awarded its own DOCG in 1996, unlike all the sub-zones which are incorporated in the Chianti DOCG.
Like most of Chianti, Colli Aretini wines have Italy's flagship variety Sangiovese as their base, with a legally stipulated minimum of 70 percent. In practice this is often much higher, although plenty of wines have small quantities of local varieties Canaiolo and Colorino, and increasingly, international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The terroir here is relatively similar to the rest of Chianti, built on poor limestone soils and a Mediterranean climate. Favorable aspects and elevations that reach some 1000ft (300m) above sea level give an excellent mesoclimate for ripening, while the soils stress vines in such a way that high quality grape growth is encouraged.
Chianti Colli Aretini is one of Chianti's lesser known subzones, and as such, grapes grown in the region are often incorporated into Chianti DOCG wines.
