The physical aspects of Sangiovese terroir: Chianti Classico DOCG

As noted previously, “Sangiovese is an impressionable grape variety that easily takes on characters from the specific soil or terroir ...” a fact which has led me to elaborate the physical aspects (climate, soils, aspect, elevation, etc.) of the various Sangiovese terroirs. To date I have explored the physical environments of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Morellino di Scansano DOCG, and Montecucco DOC(G). In this post I will be covering Chianti Classico DOCG.

The modern Chianti Classico production zone encompasses a series of hills -- elevation between 200 and 600 meters -- that are bordered by Siena to the south, the Florentine town of San Casciano Val di Pesa to the north, the hills of the Arno River Valley to the east, and the Elsa River Valley to the west. Originally referred to as Chianti, the area shaded in blue in the map below was recognized as a wine region since the 13th century but was legalized as such by a decree issued by Grand Duke Cosimi III de Medici in 1714. A Ministerial Decree issued in 1932 expanded the Chianti region to cover eight sub-zones, one of which was the original Chianti. The former Chianti was expanded to its current borders (shown in the map below) and given the name Chianti Classico in a bow to its historical origins. Chianti Classico was granted DOCG status in 1996.

Tuscany wine region map (ateliersetsaveurs.com)

Climate

The Chianti Classico climate is continental, with long summers and cold winters. Various aspects of the climate are illustrated in the chart below.

Sources: Map - pinterest.com; information - Nesto and
di Savino, Chianti Classico

As shown on the chart, the combination of the Chianti and Pratomagno Mountains block morning sunlight from the region. In the southeast of the region, the upper Arno River valley opens up to the east and south, allowing in some morning sunlight.

According to Nesto and di Savino, climate change is forcing vineyards to migrate to higher elevations. Thirty years ago, according to the duo, vines planted above 350 m subjected their growers to ridicule; 350 m was considered prime real estate for Sangiovese. Today 500 m is desired. Alcohol levels are increasing such that in the warmer Chianti Classico areas, less sun is preferred, leading to a preference for north and northeast exposures in those zones.

As it relates to seasonal weather hazards, there is potential for bud damage from spring frosts and damaging summer hail resulting from warm humid winds rising from low to high elevations. 

Landscape and Soils

Coltorti, et al., provide insight into the population of rock types encountered in Siena Province (see chart directly below) while Bonini and Sani and Amato and Vallatto, respectively, provide soils distribution in Chianti Classico by percentage and by location.

As shown in the preceding charts, the region possesses a diversity of soils: marl (San Casciano Val di Pesa); calcareous clay (Greve and all zones at lower altitudes); sandstone (backbone of Chianti Mountains); limestone (central and southern portions of the district); and tufa (around Castelnuevo Berardenga). When limestone and sandstone are found in alternating layers, that soil is called Galestro. Clay-limestone mixes are called Albarese. According to Berry Bros & Rudd, "The sandy alluvial soils of the lower sites yield fuller, meatier wines while the limestone and galestro soils of the higher vineyards deliver finer, more ethereal examples" (bbr.com).

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Chianti Classico's Bibbiano: The longest-standing monument to the Sangiogenius of Giulio Gambelli

Vigna del Capannino, the primary Cru vineyard of Chianti Classico’s Bibbiano estate, is planted to Montalcino-origin Sangiovese grosso vines acquired in the 1950s with the assistance of the Sangiovese master Giulio Gambelli. 

The Bibbiano property dates back to 1089 but grape growing only came to the fore with its acquisition by the Marzi brothers in 1865. The Gambelli-Marzi relationship began in 1942 while the former was employed at the Enopolio in Poggibonsi. Gambelli was invited to go hunting at the estate with then owner Pier Tommasi Marzi, beginning a relationship that would redound to the benefit of the estate for many a year thereafter. Nesto and di Savino stipulate that Gambelli considered the Marzi relationship as the most consequential of his career.

Bibbiano has had two significant transformations in the post-war period, the first significantly influenced by Gambelli, the second led by Stefano Porciani.

Post-WWII, Marzi and his son-in-law Alfred Merroccheri embarked on a project to rebuild the vineyards and winery. They joined the Consorzi in 1948 and, between 1950 and 1970:

• Constructued a large wine cellar
• Planted 20 ha of specialized vineyards
• Planted 10 ha of olive groves
• Totally modernized the equipment.

Gambelli provided assistance while still employed at the Enopolio and Bibbiano subsequently became his first client when he left to become a consultant. He contributed to Bibbiano in terms of decisions on new systems, aging methods, and wine style and bouquet (He was also been responsible for procuring the Sangiovese grosso cuttings from Sant'Angelo Scala in Montalcino for the 1950s planting of the Capannino vineyard.). Gambelli's wine style called for traditional Chianti Classicos fermented in glass-lined, non-temperature-controlled cement vats and aged in Slavonian botti.

By 1999 Bibbiano was being managed by Tommaso and Federico Marzi and the vineyards were, according to Nesto and di Savino (Chianti Classico):

• Old and in need of replanting
• Many of the vines had died
• Some were so old that their production was too low from an economic point of view
• Others had been poorly trained and were too old to withstand the stress of retraining
• The remaining vines were so weak that they needed to be green-harvested twice so that the fruit could mature

The brothers called on Stefano Porciani for assistance in revamping the estate. Stefano had been the Technical Director of the Chianti Classico Consorzio from 1992 to 2001 and had managed the operation of the Consorzio's Chianti Classico 2000 project. With his base of knowledge accumulated from that project, he began replanting vineyards, with the Bibbiano Capannino vineyard the first in line.

Capinnino was not dissimilar to many Montalcino vineyards in terms of temperature (14 - 15.3 ℃), average rainfall (60 - 70 cm), exposure (southerly), and soil (clay-dominant), so the previously planted Sangiovese grosso was a good fit for the replantation. In 2009 the vineyard was planted with "the organic genetic material that Gambelli had selected in Montalcino." The rootstocks utilized were the clay-philic 775 and 779 Paulsen. Vine density was updated to 5000 vines/ha, the rest of the estate replanted, and an underground drainage system installed to round out the vineyard modernization. The entire project was completed in 2012. The current-day estate is illustrated in the chart below.

I recently tasted the 2016 vintages of the estate’s Gran Selezione wines made with grapes sourced from its two cru vineyards: Vigne de Montornello and Vigna del Capannino. Both of these wines are fermented over 33  days in cement vats, with délestage, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, 12 months in Slavonian oak barrels, and 6 months in bottle. These wines still adhere to the Gambelli principles except that the cement vats are now temperature controlled and French oak barrels precede Slavonian oak barrels in the aging schema.

I tasted the two wines with the Orlando BBF tasting group and then at home the following evening.

The 2016 Montornello Gran Selezione showed sweet plum, wax, and a clayey note on the nose. Sour cherry on the palate, along with a balsamic note. Saline with a metallic note. Aggressive tannins. Long, sour, chalky finish.

The 2016 Vigna del Capannino Gran Selezione was elegant on the nose with sweet fruit, prominent hymenaea courbaril, which faded into the background with residence, richness, and neutral shoe polish. A full, round mouthfeel. Balanced. Silkier tannins than encountered in the Montornello. Juicy. Blackpepper-driven finish.

The cuttings for the Capannino vineyards were secured from Sant'Angelo in Montalcino, the subzone which Kerin O'Keefe identifies as the hottest and driest of the Montalcino subzones. In their book Chianti Classico, Nesto and di Savino identifies the west and southwest portions of Chianti Classico as being the warmest in that region and the Bibbiano location in Castellina places it squarely into warmer territory. These wines were good but did not exhibit head-turning complexity.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

The physical aspects of Sangiovese terroir: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Brunello di Montalcino, as is the case for fellow DOCG Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, falls fully within the boundary of Chianti’s Colle Sensei DOCG. That is not all that the two regions share; they are also both sources of high-quality Sangiovese wines. I have previously described the physical characteristics of  Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and will conduct a similar exploration of Brunello di Montalcino in this post.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG’s wine production zone is largely coincident with the borders of the commune of the same name. The region extends over 2450 ha of a square-based hill whose lowest point is 150 m, rising to 630 m at its peak.

The climate is Mediterranean with moderating effects from the sea (40 km away), the surrounding rivers, elevation, and Mt Amiata to the southwest. The climate zones run from north to south. (According to Monty Waldin (Brunello: The many crus of Montalcino, Decanter, 3/19/15), 30 - 35% of Brunello is sourced from the cooler grounds north of the town (yielding paler Brunellos) with the remainder from the warmer south (darker colored, more overtly fruity, savory wines)). Precipitation occurs mostly in the spring and late autumn with average annual rainfall of 700 mm. There is potential for snow at elevations above 400 m. Steady winds allow for the growth of healthy vines while the presence of Mt Amiata to the southwest provides a barrier against storms and hail.

Landscape and Soils

The continued eastward movement of the Northern Apennines has resulted in the creation of a number of long (up to 200 km), narrow (up to 25 km wide), NE – SW-oriented structural depressions on the western side of the mountains in the Tuscany region. These depressions are bounded by normal faults along the margins and subdivided into basins by transfer zones/faults.

Source: Brogi, et al., 2013, Figure 1.

The Siena-Radacofani is one such basin (Past works have referred to them as two separate basins but recent scholarship have "highlighted a common structural evolution, with tectonic features extending from one basin to the other" (Martini and Aldinucci, November 2017).). It is bordered to its left by the pre-Neogene (pre-23 million years ago (mya)) bedrock of the Montalcino Ridge and the Neogene-Quaternary (23 mya to present) magmatic rocks of Mt. Amiata, and to its right by the pre-Neogene bedrock of Mt Cetona and the Cetona Ridge. 

The pre-Neogene rocks of the basin are primarily composed of two superimposed thrust units (Martini, et al.):

·       Tuscan Unit

o   Lower portions range in age from Triassic (252.2 mya) to Oligocene (33.9 mya)

o   Exposed rock consists primarily of shelf components and turbiditic, poorly cemented sandstones (Macigno)

·       Ligurides

o   Range in age from Cretaceous (146.5 mya) to Eocene (33.8 mya)

o   Consists primarily of basinal silaceous limestone and argillaceous limestone (marlstone).

Source: Martini, et al.

The Siena-Radicofani Basin began to form on the pre-Neogene substrates during the middle Miocene and “a thick sedimentary pile accumulated mainly during the early Pliocene." The turbiditic sandstone associated with the Tuscan Unit of pre-Neogene rocks appears to be the major contributor of sand for the basin. Other substrate rocks contributed pebbles, limestone cobbles, metamorphic detritus, and some sand.

The basin emerged toward the end of the Early Pliocene and, after a general uplift, no younger sedimentary record is apparent. Magmatism has affected the southern portion since the early Pliocene and volcanic eruptions occurred during the Pleistocene (1.8 mya – 10,000 years ago). The chart below shows the impact of post-Paleogene depositional activity on the Siena sub-basin and surrounds, to include, specifically, Montalcino.

The following charts display the soils composition in Colli Senesi and its major sub-zones. While Colli Senesi and Nobile di Montepulciano are dominated by marine sands, Brunello di Montalcino shows conglomerates as the major soil type while Chianti Classico shows marly limestone and marls and turbidites.

Source: Table 1, Bonini and Sani 2002

In an effort to gain an even finer definition of Brunello wines, a sub-zoning proposal (spearheaded by wine writer and educator Kerin O'Keefe) -- with the nomenclature and relative characteristics indicated in the chart below -- has been advanced.

But all hands are not on board with this proposal. According to Waldin, "Vineyards zoned in less highly regarded spots may be penalized by the media and then by the marketplace." In a blog post, Stefano Cinelli Colombini, owner and winemaker at Fattori dei Barbi, states that sub-zoning only works on paper, given the diversity in Montalcino vineyards. In a response to one of the comments on his post he notes that, in mapped areas, soil and geography stays constant but weather and things associated with humans are changeable. "You cannot make a reliable map of quality areas," he says. 

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Il Colle Brunello di Montalcino: Another Giulio Gambelli production

In my most recent post on the life of the famed Sangiovese expert Giulio Gambelli, I tagged Montalcino’s Il Colle as one of the Brunello producers— joining estates such as Case Basse, Cerbaiona, and Poggio di Sotto — fortunate enough to gain access to, and incorporate, his thoughts and practices into their winemaking efforts. 

Il Colle was founded in 1972 with Notary Alberti Carli’s purchase of the medieval house and 11 ha of land that had once been a part of the Conti Costanti Colle al Matrichese property (The property was split back in the 18th century as a result of family inheritance and divisions.). 

Upon purchase, Carli immediately planted 3 ha of Brunello and 2 ha of olive groves, producing the first vintage of Brunello in 1978. The estate has since grown to 8 ha of vines with the purchase of the 5-ha Localita Podernova dei Campi in Castelnuova dell’Abate. The vineyards are farmed organically. 

Alberto died in 2001 and his daughter Caterina has been managing the property ever since. 

The estate produces a Rosso and a Brunello, blends of grapes grown in both locations. The Brunello is a made from a careful selection of the best bunches from both vineyards. The fruit from the original vineyard (480 m elevation) provides elegance, freshness, floral notes, and minerality while the southeastern fruit (230 m) provides structure, power, and color.

Giulio Gambelli has guided the family’s winemaking efforts since 1981. According to Caterina:

Giulio Gambelli has been the guide and inspiration behind the vines I produce. The simplicity and naturalness of his way of living and working have always accompanied me along with the belief that making a good wine requires a few simple rules: hard work in the vineyard, time, passion, and cleanliness.

The “Gambellian” winemaking practices employed by the estate include indigenous yeasts, long maceration on the skins, aging in Slavonian botti, and no filtering. Kerin O’Keefe has described the resulting wine as “... graceful yet structured Brunellos” and a “ pure unfiltered expression of Sangiovese.”

2014 Il Colle Brunello di Montalcino

The 2014 growing season was very rainy across the entire peninsula of Italy and, according to Il Colle, slowed down the ripening until mid-June. Mild temperatures in July and August, and sunny skies in late September and early October, ensured high-quality fruit and "beautiful days of harvest." 

The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for 48 months in 30- and 50-hL, fine-grained Slavonian oak barrels.

Popped and poured. Concentrated florality, ripe blackberries, oiliness, and intense spice notes initially. Elegant, sensuous, complex. Interweaving of spice and elegant yet concentrated fruit along with talcum powder and dried herbs.  

Low-intensity dark fruit on palate initially along with bright acidity. Medium weight. Balanced. With time, earthy/woody character and tannins which evolve through structured to chalky coating to a silky state. Fruit gains intensity on the palate as it attains a sour cherry character. Bitter note leads into a spicy finish. A lovely wine.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme