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Florence and Chianti: the two are inseparable and call
to mind the rolling hills and countryside around the city where row upon
row of grapevines ripen in the sun to produce the Sangiovese grapes used
to make the fine red wine called "Chianti Classico". Hundreds of
thousands of litres of the "nectar of the gods" with inimitable
organoleptic qualities of body, colour and flavour.
In this rich land, wine and olive oil are not all the
province is famous for, though a third of the regional production of olive
oil, or about 20,000 tons a year, does come from the province of Florence.
When it comes to food products, many other delicious Tuscan dishes
originate here, from the famed "Florentine beefsteak", which
comes strictly from beef raised on the pastures of the province, to the
soups of spelt and legumes, various kinds of cheese, milk and honey
produced in the Mugello farmland. The plains are rich in fruits,
vegetables and grains, while the hilly zones, typical of the Tuscan
landscape, are covered with olive groves and vineyards.
On the slopes, at the base of the Apennine range, are
extensive pastures and forests that are exploited for their many products.
There are a few industrial crops like tobacco and sugar beets. It is a
rich blend of flavours and aromas that make the Florence area one of the
most famous for quality and taste. Its agricultural production is
sustained by over 7,000 farms and about 153,000 farm workers, and exports
food products for about 180 million €uro every year. Exports of Classic
Gallo Nero Chianti wine accounted alone for 70% of total products in 2003,
while sales increased by 12%.
Attention to food and, in particular, to its purity, is so important to
this area that even the academic world recognizes the subject as one
worthy of study in all its aspects. The University of Florence recently
inaugurated a Master's degree in agricultural ecology, biology and
biodynamics which explores the techniques for organic crop growing.
www.florencewine.it
www.fi.camcom.it - Chamber of
Commerce - Handcraft and Agriculture Industry |
