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1
Place the hare joints in a deep non-reactive vessel with the Chianti Classico, carrot, celery, onion, juniper, bay, and rosemary, pressing the joints beneath the wine so that the flesh is fully submerged and draws the wine and aromatics inward rather than steeping only at its surfaces. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours. The marinade is complete when the flesh has darkened at its surfaces and the liquor smells of game, wine, and herbs in equal measure.
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2
Lift the hare joints from the marinade and pat each piece thoroughly dry with cloth, so the surface sears rather than steams in the pan and a proper mahogany crust can form. Strain the marinade through a fine sieve and reserve the liquid and aromatics separately; set a wide, heavy braising vessel over the highest heat and melt the lard until it shimmers and begins to haze. Brown the hare joints in batches — never crowding the pan — turning once, and remove each piece when its surface releases from the pan without resistance and has taken on a deep mahogany colour.
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3
This is where the dish lives or dies. Return all browned joints to the pan, add the reserved marinade aromatics, then begin adding the strained marinade in stages — one ladleful at a time, allowing each addition to bubble and reduce before the next is poured — so the wine loses its raw, sharp edge gradually and knits with the fat and meat juices rather than drowning them. Added all at once, the wine remains harsh and never integrates. Continue until the liquor smells rounded and deeply winey, with no bite of raw alcohol.
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4
Add the remaining marinade, bring to a gentle simmer, and cover; braise over the lowest possible heat for a minimum of 2.5 hours, turning the joints once at the midpoint so they colour and absorb the liquor evenly on both sides. The braise is complete when the meat yields at a touch — press a joint with a finger and the flesh parts from the bone without resistance.
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5
Lift the joints clear, allow them to cool briefly, then pull the meat from the bones with two forks or by hand into rough pieces, discarding the bones. Add the reserved liver and heart to the braising liquor and simmer for 15 minutes, then chop them finely and return them with the shredded meat, so their richness thickens the sauce from within rather than sitting apart. Grate the dark chocolate directly into the sauce and stir through for 10 minutes, then reduce uncovered until the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly, the surface is glossy, and the colour is wine-dark.
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6
Cook the pappardelle in well-salted boiling water until al dente, then drain, reserving a cup of pasta water. Toss the pappardelle in the ragù over low heat, loosening with pasta water only if needed, so the starch in the water binds the sauce to each ribbon rather than thinning it. The dish is ready when each ribbon is evenly coated and the sauce clings without pooling at the base of the pan.