Dear Harvey,

Neither is true. Chianti and Chianti Classico come from two different wine regions within Tuscany, Italy, and each make different wines. While it’s true that both Chianti and Chianti Classico are made primarily from the same great Italian red grape Sangiovese, each regions’ soils (and laws concerning yields and aging) are different, leading to different characters in the wines. In Chianti Classico, the “Classico” refers to the original small area where Chianti was historically made. Chianti (no Classico) is a bigger area, but still a place where some fine wines are made. In both cases, I’d go for the Riserva versions which have more depth and flavor.