Contextualizing the newly minted Chianti Classico sub-zones

There has been a lengthy ongoing discussion among invested parties as to the need for sub-zones within the Chianti Classico DOCG. In June 2021, a specific sub-zone proposal was presented to the members of the Chianti Classico Consorzio and was approved by an overwhelming majority. I provide some context in this post.

Chianti Classico DOCG

Production Zone

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)

Approximately 10,000 ha of vineyards are planted of which 7100 ha is classified DOCG. Vineyards have traditionally utilized the Guyot training system -- or a derivative known as the Tuscan bow -- but, more recently, spurred cordon is being implemented as it aids mechanization without sacrificing quality.

The DOCG production discipline requires a maximum yield/ha of 7500 kilograms, yield/vine of not more than 3 kg, and minimum planting density of 3350 vines/ha. Average planting density runs between 4500 and 6500 plants/ha.

The varieties planted in the region are shown in the table below.

To be designated DOCG, a wine must be made of a minimum 80% Sangiovese and up to a maximum of 20% of the following regionally produced varieties: Canaiolo, Colorino, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon. A Chianti Classico D'annata cannot be sold until 1 year after the harvest and must be a minimum 12% abv. A Chianti Classico Riserva must spend 2 years in oak and a minimum 3 months in bottle. Alcohol levels must be 12.5% or greater.

After over two years of study, The Chianti Classico Consorzio announced the introduction of a new tier of wine positioned above the Riserva. This new tier is called Gran Selezione and is designed to communicate the quality of the wines resulting from replanting over 60% of the regions vines in the past 15 years. The wines must be: made from estate-grown grapes with yields not to exceed 52.5 hectoliters/ha; 80% Sangiovese; spend 30 months in oak; and spend three months in bottle. While some producers saw this as a positive step, potentially leading to single-vineyard offerings, others saw the possibility for creating greater confusion as the consumer wades through the thickets of Chianti, Chianti Classico, IGT, and the relevant tiers.

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).

Calls for Chianti Classico Sub-Zones

Over the years a number of proponents have advanced arguments for dividing the broader Chianti Classico into sub-zones as a means of better defining the region’s wines. A subset of those voices — and their arguments — are presented in the following.

Walter Speller (Chianti Classico -- a call for subzoning, insidechianticlassico.com, 2/8/14) called for the Chianti Classico officials to take a cue from Côtes-du-Rhone Villages and divide Chianti Classico into sub-zones based on the main villages and allow producers to print the names of the villages on the labels. According to Walter, "this would provide the perfect structure to make the necessary, complex terroir research manageable" as it would be cut down into logical portions. This approach has historically been treated with disdain because, the argument goes:

• Soil compositions are too complex and diverse
• The hills offer too many expositions and altitudes to really corral them in such a simplistic system.

Roberto Stucchi (The Evolution of Chianti Classico, insidechianticlassico.com, 2/28/14) predicted zonation as a natural evolution. According to Roberto, the zone was "too large and diverse to be locked in the current DOCG regulations which make no distinction between the extremely diverse expressions of Sangiovese in its original territory. The evolution that he saw was first a commune-level zonation which would eventually be superseded by a village-level facility.

Michael Schmeizer (The map has arrived, now where do we go? insidechianticlassico.com, 10/15/14) spoke positively about a commune-level zonation allowing the region to sidestep the ever-present Chianti vs Chianti Classico conversation but was adamantly against restricting it by category (Gran Selezione, for example) "as this sends the signal to the market that a Chianti Classico normale cannot be special or unique, and robs the smaller producers of their advantage."

Unità Geografiche Agguniative (UGA): The Chianti Classico Sub-Zoning Solution

UGA, translated as Additional Geographic Units, has been regulated by wine laws since 2013 and defines a place of origin within a DOC/G which can be added to the name of the wine. A UGA can be an entire administrative area (a commune), a part of an administrative area, or a smaller locality within the commune (Frazione). Soave DOCG has 33 UGAs and, rather than a quality classification, each highlights the wines available therein.

Chianti Classico declined to pursue UGAs based on soils and topography because of the geologic complexity of the area. Instead, they opted to embrace the traditional areas of production with a strong terroir connection and sense of identity. Eleven areas were specified with eight going into effect immediately and three slated to be implemented in three years. The initial specification would only include the Gran Selezione category but is expected to be expanded in the future to include Riserva and Annata wines as well as additional sub-zones. The initial Chianti Classico UGA schema is illustrated graphically in the chart below.

Some points of note:

• Four of the proposed UGAs are village level (and three of those village-level UGAs are in Greve in Chianti)
• As part of this process, the Consorzio has already been able to describe the types of wine that are characteristic of each area
• The initial implementation ignored calls to not restrict the zones to a specific category (it currently only covers Gran Selezione) but this is considered a temporary state of affairs.
• This approach incorporates Robert Stucchi's evolutionary model (commune then village) into a hybrid model (mix of commune and village).

I personally look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of Chianti Classico wines by drinking within and across these new zones. I also look forward to the promised expansion to additional zones and wine categories.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme