Few Italian wines trigger nostalgia in American consumers like Chianti. Many tasted their first sip of tangy Sangiovese from a fiasco, a bottle wrapped in a straw basket, in a red-sauce Italian restaurant. Over the last few decades, Chianti has increased in quality, though most of its top wines fail to titillate palates as seductively as Baroloand Brunello. However, that’s a boon to savvy drinkers that can nab a delicious bottle of Chianti at an attainable price.

Get to know this Tuscan region through its fascinating history, grapes and appellations. Tuscany, the romanticized swath of central Italy known for its rolling hills, cypress trees and stone castles, is also home to Chianti. Its history stems from the Etruscans, who were the first to identify the region as an attractive source for grapes. The Romans further developed the area’s agriculture, which also included olives.