The Next Rooster Hardcover Non-Fiction Book

The Next Rooster is a portrait of continuity in motion. Through 44 essays, it brings together the stories of families whose lives, vineyards, and futures are rooted in the hills of Chianti Classico, one of Italy’s most historic and dynamic wine regions. United by the symbol of the Gallo Nero—the Black Rooster—these daughters, sons, nieces, and nephews represent the next generation stepping into roles shaped by inheritance, responsibility, and change.

The book begins with the generation that transformed Chianti Classico during the 1970s and 1980s, when producing wine in the region demanded conviction, sacrifice, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. Their efforts helped establish the prosperity and international reputation the territory enjoys today. Yet this is not a book about looking backward. It is about what comes next.

Chianti Classico has always been defined by diversity—of soils, elevations, philosophies, and people. That multiplicity remains its greatest strength. As the region enters a new era marked by technological connectivity, environmental challenges, and evolving global markets, a new generation is emerging with its own ideas, ambitions, and understanding of place.

Rather than presenting a chronology of wine history, The Next Rooster tells a human story, exploring succession, adaptation, and the enduring connection between family and land. Rich with Tuscan culture, food, wine, and history, these essays reveal how continuity is preserved not by standing still, but by moving forward. Chianti Classico has always had something new to say. This book listens to the voices now preparing to say it.