Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn from Advanced #Sommelier Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA !

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Howdy! Great to be back with all of y'all!

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: We’d like to introduce you to Advanced #Somm Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA of #Chianti Classico #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA to say hello & so he knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: As we ask our Qs, you can ask Jeff your Qs as well! He'll do his best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: W so many participants lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1--give a S/O 2 @keepercoll & @ChiantiClassUSA 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking Quality and Tradition with Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA #WineWednesday #SommChat

TEXSOM @TEXSOM: #Sommchat What is one thing you wish more professionals would understand and promote about Chianti Classico.

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: That it's not a homogeneous place -- it's diverse. From North to South, East to West, the region has to be approached like you would all the other great #wine regions, being more specific than broad. . . #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: . . . And it deserves a place on every restaurant wine list, not just at Italian restaurants #SommChat

Sommbuddy @Sommbuddy1: We just opted for Rosso di Montalcino and moved our Chianti to a by the bottle selection.

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: I'd say it's dependent on the style -- it's like the difference between having a Marsannay and a Vosne Romanee on the list. I have seen #ChiantiClassicos replace #pinotnoir, #California red blends, and other #sangiovese-based wines. #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @chianticlassiUSA Jeff Can you tell us some Chianti areas that you suggest BTG and young for the bottle program for a non-Italian Resto

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: The whole region is super diverse and it's about what your guests like--and #ChiantiClassico has it all from high altitude, austere & elegant, to big rich & bold #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: For example, at a Japanese restaurant, I would do Lamole; if I was at a steakhouse, I'd look to Castelnuova Berardenga. The key is that it's an extremely diverse region, and to explore based upon what your guests like #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm what temp do you think is best to serve #ChiantiClassUSA red and white wines and why?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: For reds, I like to have all my reds served at 55 because it's easier to come up in temperature than down. For whites, usually 40 degrees -- the aromatics pop out when it's not super cold for whites #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm can you share your most successful training techniques for staff to get them excited since the region is so diverse @ChiantiClassUSA

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: To show the diversity, to do a horizontal tasting of a few different communes to show that #ChiantiClassico is not one homogeneous place #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Also, it's important to teach the history of #ChiantiClassico. It was the first designated appellation in the world, and it has one of the most amazing histories in the world of wine #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Thanks for #ChiantiClassUSA #Sommchat Shout outs fr @Hadel @TperezWine @PrimlaniKitchen

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: @ChiantiClassUSA How do the communes of Chianti Classico compare in terms of #terroir, microclimate, and #winemaking styles? #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: This is a long answer! 1. It's ALL different. You have to pay attention to altitude, exposure, soil types, all of these play into the overall flavor profile of the region. For example: San Casciano is in the North, but it's on average one of the. . . #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: . . . Warmest, and is lower in altitude, so it produces a softer, rounder style of #wine. Whereas, Radda is very high in altitude, and on average cooler, and produces a more austere, high-toned style of wine #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: . . . The beauty of #ChiantiClassico is its diversity and the fun of that is that you have to try a lot of #wine #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: 2. Producers want #terroir to speak, so their winemaking styles reflect where they are from #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #somm @ChiantiClassUSA is this area open to visits by industry/consumers and what R best paths to request visits if we have a group that wants to go independently?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Very much so -- from large estates that have tasting rooms, to small estates that have kitchens, the region is super open to tourists and members of the trade. They want us to come, see their land, eat their food, & experience their culture #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm I work in an area that gets very warm in temp in the summertime - which areas of @ChiantiClassUSA R best 2 offer 2 guest during a hot time?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Absolutely. I'd look to the higher altitude areas that produce a lighter, lower alcohol style: wines from #Radda and villages within #Greve called Lamole & Montefioralle. Those are great, #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Do you have any techniques that can help discern the different areas for blind tasting @ChiantiClassUSA

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Irrespective of winemaking styles, looking at #terroir and altitude is the best way to start. First, galestro soil tends to produce fuller, denser-bodied wines. Alberese is a limestone soil that produces lighter, higher acidity, high-toned wines. . . #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: . . . and the sandstone called macigno produces a very floral, ethereal style of #wine with lighter tannins. But it takes practice, like any blind tasting! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: .@ChiantiClassUSA Could you explain the difference between #Chianti Classico’s two main soil types, #alberese and #galestro, and why the difference matters? #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Alberese is a limestone-based soil from the fossils from when #ChiantiClassico was under the sea; #Galestro is a clay-schist soil that's seen throughout the region #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Hello @TEXSOM on #SommChat today - thanks as always for your insightful questions so everyone can learn today!

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: @ChiantiClassUSA What are some major trends to watch out for re: #Chianti Classico producers? Is there a move to single-vineyard bottling, like elsewhere? #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: There's a big trend in producing 100% #sangiovese-based #ChiantiClassico and yes, there are a lot of single-vineyard bottlings and they tend to really come through in the #GranSelezione #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: .@SandyWasserman great to see you back on #SommChat today with @ChiantiClassUSA do you have any fav #wines fr this region?

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: .@ChiantiClassUSA It’s been a few years since the Gran Selezione category has been established. What has the response been like so far? #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: #GranSelezione is a growing category. More producers have been presenting #GranSelezione wines in the past year, and there is more positive response today #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm what are some of the best resources, books and online and other, 4 learning more about @ChiantiClassUSA ?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: The best book that's come out recently is Bill Nesto MW & Francis di Savino's "Chianti Classico: The Search for Chianti's Noblest Wine" -- and there have been some good articles written in @guildsomm on #ChiantiClassico #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: And it's always great to attend an industry event -- keep your eyes out for upcoming events being announced soon! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm are you seeing price increases in @ChiantiClassUSA #wines ? is production increasing in light of attention to quality?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: The quality has always been really, really high, and there have been some price increases, but in comparison to other classic #wine regions, the quality-value ratio is among the highest in the world. You can drink it now and you can age it (and you'll be psyched!) #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: @ChiantiClassUSA How would you express the taste/flavor nuances between Annata, Riserva, and Gran Selezione #Chianti Classicos? #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: In general, it's like a crescendo: Annata starts out elegant & easy to drink, the Riserva turns it up a notch with a little more nuance & intensity, and Gran Selezione is the full symphony going Mahler 2 at you #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm when i am tasting blind, what are some identifiers that are typical to @ChiantiClassUSA #Sangiovese that are different from the same grape produced in other Italian regions?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Varying shades of cherry, and I always get this kind of dusty, earth note, and sometimes blood or salami notes -- and definitely acidity and tannin on the higher end of the spectrum #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @ChiantiClassUSA can you describe some of the improved vineyard practices that are helping with the overall quality of #Chianti Classico wines?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: People would be surprised to know that nearly 40% of the appellation is certified #organic. The region as a whole has selected clones that work in their specific vineyards that produce high quality fruit and there's a resurgence. . .

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: . . . of older #vineyard practices to increase #biodiversity, such as co-planting with fruit trees, olive trees, wheat, etc. Estates are becoming not just #wine farms, but farms #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: .@ChiantiClassUSA What are some great Chianti Classico pairings for spring and summer? #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: I love a good crostini with an Annata #ChiantiClassico, be it chicken liver or a classic tomato & olive oil, and of course pasta! I love pici with olive oil and herbs, and to help vineyard management with wild boar #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: .@ChiantiClassUSA Heard you were a #UniveristyofTexas Longhorn in #Austin #Texas and now are working with #Chianti Classico wherever you are in the world! How did U 1st get interested in #ChiantiClassico #wines?! #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: I got interested in #sangiovese from the earliest part of my career working in retail, because it offered high quality #wine at a low price I could afford -- and the energy of the wine always captivated me #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm is @ChiantiClassUSA regions facing Climate Change issues as much as other areas and if so what are the #winemakers doing to deal?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Absolutely! It seems like every vintage is extreme, so every year winemakers have to adapt to droughts, and what they call "aqua bomb" -- sudden rain and flooding. Everything is changing. . .

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: . . . Like canopy management, when to prune, if to green harvest or not, when to pick. Every vintage is an extreme one and the growers are doing their best to keep up. There's a big movement for a more ecological approach to farming. #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm how often do you travel to the #Chianti Region and are there any changes you have seen recently @ChiantiClassUSA that are of note?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: I'm there 2 times a year, but this year I've been there 4. Every time I go, there's a new discovery. The biggest change is the push towards insuring #biodiversity & maintaining the environmental integrity of the region. Across estate size, producers, & communes #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm sounds like you have a lot of diverse projects Jeff, @ChiantiClassUSA What is a day in your life working look like?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Every day is different, every day is fun. I spend a lot of time on email & when I'm not doing email, I'm proselytizing about #wine #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm people think of @ChiantiClassUSA as RED - is there info that we should know more about white in the region?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: The rules for #ChiantiClassico mandate #redwine, & #vinsanto del #ChiantiClassico is its own DOC. A lot of producers make all sorts of #whitewines, from #TrebbianoToscano and #chardonnay (& everything in between). They are worth checking out #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @ChiantiClassUSA Jeff, how did you decide you wanted to become an Advanced #Sommelier and do you have any advice for those wanting to pursue that path? Also, are you studying to become a Master Somm in the near future?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: It was a challenge that was put in front of me & I wanted to learn as much about #wine as possible, and it was one of the best ways forward for me. My advice for anyone pursuing the MS is to only want it for themselves & not any other reason. . . #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: . . . but personal growth & achieving your own personal goals. Everything else comes after #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: . . . I've sat for the #MasterSommelier exam twice, and I passed a part, then I reset. In my mind I want to, but my current life has put things on pause. Never say never! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Jeff,@ChiantiClassUSA What is something that you want to see from the #Chianti #wine world that is not being done now?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: #ChiantiClassico needs to toot its own horn some more about how awesome they are: the food, the people, the place, the history, the wine! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Calling all #LA #Miami & #Boston industry #SommChat followers - here is chance to learn from Jeff Porter about @ChiantiClassUSA

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm Jeff @ChiantiClassUSA have you volunteered @TEXSOM and would you recommend for others? if so, what is minimum level of experience one needs to be considered?

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: I have not volunteered at @TEXSOM, but I've been, and I believe it's one of the greatest #wine education opportunities in the US, and anyone at any level should attend #SommChat

TEXSOM @TEXSOM: Thank you for such a lovely note. Hope to see you in August! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: .@ChiantiClassUSA you teased the #SommChat industry followers about learning about #Chianti “in person” - please tell more!!!

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Over the next few weeks, I will be in LA (5/30), Miami (6/3), & Boston (6/4) hosting master classes on #ChiantiClassico to answer all of your questions! Feel free to DM @ChiantiClassUSA to RSVP, limited space provided #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #Chianti #wine talk with Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA #WineWednesday #SommChat

Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA: Thank all y'all very much for this opportunity! Any chance to be a part of the community is always an honor, and I appreciate everybody going out and trying some more #ChiantiClassico. You'll be happy #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: It was great to have Jeff join us today for #SommChat to talk about #ChiantiClassico. We hope everyone learned as much as we did! #WineWednesday

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Please join us in thanking Advance #Sommelier Jeff Porter @ChiantiClassUSA for his time #SommChat