Last month, Jeff Burrows of FoodWineClick led the Italian Food Wine & Travel group on a tour of Chianti, proving that this much-beloved wine is at home in a wide range of scenarios. Whether you’re paying tribute to your grandmother’s Sunday ragú or grilling up a Fred Flintstone-sized bistecca alla Fiorentina, Chianti is the perfect accompaniment.

For links to the articles written by our #ItalianFWT members last month, read on and prepare to be inspired. These folks not only know about wine – damn, can they cook! You’ll find a ton of information on the distinct regions within the Chianti zone, how and why it’s not the same as Chianti Classico, and some mouth-watering recipes:

• Jennifer at Vino Travels Italy shares “Chianti of Terricola with Fattoria Fibbiano”
• Nicole at Somms Table shares “Cooking to the Wine: Borgo Scopeto Chianti Classico with Italian Meatloaf & Pasta Pomodoro”
• Jane at Always Ravenous shares “Classic Tuscan Ragù Paired with Chianti”
• Li at The Wining Hour shares “Chianti Superiore, A Wine with Many Faces”
• Jill at L’Occasion shares “Chianti Lessons”
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares “Rolling the Dice on a 1979 Chianti Rufina”
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares “Experience Chianti Classico with Montefioralle”
• Katarina from Grapevine Adventures shares “Collaboration, Passion, and Tradition Makes You Stronger – Vignaioli di Radda”
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “A Glass of Chianti & Dreams of Porchetta”
• Gwen at Wine Predator shares “Chianti: Beyond the Straw Bottle“
• Susannah at Avvinare shares “Wines from Chianti Colli Fiorentini – Worthy of Our Attention“

In fact, after last month’s chat we decided that, when it comes to the magic of Chianti, our group had but scratched the surface. We needed another month to delve deep; a chance to sample wines from various terroirs, come back together, and compare notes. So we’re extending our study of Tuscany’s famous wine into November. We hope you’ll join us.

How to Participate

Saturday, November 4, the Italian Food Wine & Travel group revisits Chianti, exploring its culture and cuisine and – of course – its wine traditions. Anyone who’s interested in the topic is welcome to participate, and we love when new folks come into the fold! How does it work? It’s simple: let me know you’re in by commenting on this post or via Twitter (@theswirlingderv) by end of day Wednesday, November 1st. Be sure to include your blog post title and links to your social media accounts. I will draft a final preview post that includes everyone’s titles with links to their home pages.

Our live chat occurs on November 4 at 11 am ET. To follow the discussion, log into Twitter and search for #ItalianFWT. Click the “latest” button at the top and you’ll see all the tweets live, as they are posted. After the chat, read and comment on the other participants’ blog posts and they will return the favor. It’s always a good time, with plenty of wine recommendations, food pairing ideas, and travel tips.

This month should be especially interesting, as we will compare wines made in various communes. Yes, they’re all based on Sangiovese, but each place leaves its own signature on the ruby red elixir in the glass. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get started. See you on November 4th!