Chianti DOCG covers a broad area of central Tuscany and represents one of Italy’s most recognized red wines worldwide. Morellino di Scansano DOCG comes from the coastal Maremma zone in southern Tuscany, where Sangiovese (locally called Morellino) expresses itself with a slightly different personality shaped by proximity to the sea.

The format was particularly effective: rather than being handed a fixed lineup, journalists could point to any wine and design their own flight. Then an English speaking sommelier would bring you your personally designed flight of up to six wines. This allowed comparisons across sub-zones and styles without restriction. It is a format that respects the taster’s intelligence.

I chose to move evenly between Chianti and Morellino rather than favor one over the other. That felt appropriate. Chianti remains one of Tuscany’s most widely produced wines, while Morellino offers a southern counterpoint that often receives less international attention.

Tasting them side by side provided perspective without hierarchy.

Tasting these excellent wines, it’s hard to imagine while these wines are lesser known.  They do not carry the immediate global name recognition of Chianti Classico, yet form an essential part of Tuscany’s production landscape.

For readers who may only encounter Chianti on a restaurant list, events like this are a reminder that the denomination is far from monolithic. There is range within the category — geographic, stylistic, and structural — and tasting across that range in one sitting underscores how varied Sangiovese can be across Tuscany’s terrain.

Chianti Lovers & Rosso Morellino offers access, comparison, and context. It encourages looking beyond the most famous names and considering the full breadth of the region.

I’ve been to this event in the past when it was more of an open forum and producers stood at their tables. I favored that as it offered more of an opportunity to speak to the producers as one tastes the wine.