The wines of Chianti Rufina DOCG and its Terraelectae schema

Chianti Rufina DOCG, as a subzone of Chianti DOCG, is qualified to produce any of the wines allowed in the appelation.

 

Screenshot from consorziovini.it

The purpose herein is not to explore those broader wines. Rather, it is to explore the wines that are unique to Chianti Rufina.  A wine is a Chianti Rufina DOCG on the basis of the physical environment and its adherence to/attainment of the specified production disciplines. I have reported on the physical environment in a previous post and will cover the built environment, the production requirements, and the wines herein.

Chianti DOCG is an appellation built on a Sangiovese foundation; and the same holds true for Chianti Rufina DOCG. The fundamental wine of the region is some mix of Sangiovese (> 70%), approved varieties (< 30%), white grapes (< 10%), and Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc (< 15%). A listing of the varieties grown in the appellation is shown below.

There are a total of 22 producers of Chianti Rufino DOCG wines and, according to the Consorzio, 20 of those are members of the association. The map below shows the producers and their distribution across the region.

Chianti Rufino map with producers

While ownerships have changed over time (for the most part), a fair number of these locations have been in the grape-growing business for a minute. For example, grapes have been grown at the Selvapiano location since 1826, at Colognole since 1892, at I Veroni since 1585, etc. Notwithstanding the traditional ages of these estates, they are not hidebound, as almost 50% of the producers are either certified organic or are farming according to organic principles. It should be noted that many of these estates are large, with vineyard space accounting for relatively small shares of the surface area.

The table below illustrates the scope of Chianti Rufina DOCG wines.

Beginning with the 2018 vintage, the Chianti Rufino producers introduced a new tier of wine with the nomenclature Terraelectae, a collective mark of the Consorzia and the associated wine. The wine — requirements illustrated in the table above — was created to "eloquently express the finest qualities of Sangiovese in Tuscany.”

The producers had been exploring ways to achieve a more precise representation of their territorial uniqueness and decided that the way forward was to select their finest quality vineyards exclusively dedicated to Sangiovese — one cru per winery — to produce a wine named after that vineyard. The initial vintage was 2018 with ten participating producers. An additional two producers opted to wait until the 2019 or 2020 vintages to provide their offerings.

Writing in Decanter (Chianti Rufina ups its game with Terraelectae, 11/30/22). Michael Apstein stated that all of the 2018s showed very well. Those initial wines are illustrated below.

Apstein: “If the wines remain high-quality and a unique expression of Sangiovese reflecting the distinctive terroir of Chianti Rufina, the Terraelectae moniker on the label will be useful to customers.”

Writing in Terroir Sense Wine Review (The Magnificent 2019 Chianti Rufina Terraelectae Wine, 4/20/23), Ian D’Agata writes thusly about the sophomore edition of the wines: “I have no recollection of having ever, and I mean ever, tasted a similarly impressive set of new wines such as these 2019 Chianti Rufina Terraelectae wines.”

This is a forceful validation of the Chianti Rufina top-end wine direction from a force within the industry.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Sangiovese terroirs: Chianti Rufina

Chianti DOCG is a large wine zone spreading, as it does, over 15,000 ha and seven subzones in the heart of Tuscany. With a zone of this size, quality is bound to vary between producers and subzones and producers will engage in both intra- and inter-zone competition. For Chianti producers, this competition will extend to include Chianti Classico. 

Such is the case for the producers in Chianti Rufina, the smallest (12,453 ha) of the Chianti subzones.

Map of Chianti wine region with Chianti Rufina
enclosed within the red circle (Map sourced from
chianti.chianti.net)

Chianti Rufina detail with districts indicated
by orange circles (Source: chiantirufina.com)

Chianti Rufina is a source of well-regarded, high-altitude Sangiovese wines which punch above their weight in the market. According to Ian D'Agata, the region's wines:

... range from the sleek, steely, mineral and highly perfumed to the slightly plumper and richer; but to be clear, for the most part, Rufina's are Chiantis that are generally much more penetrating and lifted than any other Chianti or Chianti Classico wine.

Chianti Rufina has taken a step to stay abreast of Chianti Classico's top-level wine initiative (Gran Selezione) by introducing its own elevated-quality wine, Terraelectae. The high regard in which this region is held, and its fledgling initiative, dictate a deep dive on my part. I begin herein with the physical characteristics of the subregion.

History

Vine cultivation and wine-making in what is today’s Chianti Rufina region stretches back to Etruscan times. More recently, land records from 1401 attest to the presence of vineyards at Nipozzano. A document dating to the 15th century — the Statutes of the County of Turicchi, as approved by Messer Leonardo Salutati, the Bishop of Fiesole — records the penalties to be assessed in the event of vineyard fires.

The further history of vine growing in Chianti Rufina most likely mirrors the history of the broader Chianti as I have described it here (broader Tuscany in the 14th century), here (Chianti, 15th to 19th century) and here (Chianti, 20th century).

The first demarcation of the area occurred in the 18th century when Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, issued an edict on September 24, 1716, which declared the boundaries of four areas in Tuscany — Chianti, Pomino, Carmagno, and Val d’Arno di Sopra — in which the production and trade of wine "… was subject to regulation and control by the authorities.”

The demarcation of Chianti Rufino was further enshrined in a 1932 Italian Ministerial Decree which established the territorial limits of Chianti and defined the various sub-regions, inclusive of Rufino. Chianti Rufino attained DOC status in 1967 and DOCG status in 1984.

Climate

Chianti Rufino experiences hot summers, with average temperatures ranging between 22℃ and 23℃, and cold and moderately rainy winters. The average winter temperature ranges between 4℃ and 6℃. The average annual rainfall is between 900 and 1150 mm with a summer minimum, the main maximum in autumn, and a secondary maximum between winter and spring. Snowfall is relatively rare.

The region has a temperate sub-coastal climate, according to the Koeppin classification system (revised by Pinna for the Italian area):

• Average annual temperature between 10℃ and 14.4℃
• Average of the coldest month ranges between 4℃ and 5.9℃
• Three months (June, July, August) with average temperature > 20℃
• Annual temperature range: 16℃ - 19℃. 

The characteristic climate of Chianti Rufina is the result of a combination of factors (Consorzio):

• Latitudinal factors
• Orographic factors (slope, exposure, position)
• The Mediterranean — source of masses of humid and mild air in all seasons 
• The Atlantic Ocean — source of moist air masses and relatively mild (polar maritime) air that is colder than the Mediterranean with resulting perturbations causing frontal and vortex systems that are particularly frequent from autumn to spring
• The Eurasian landmass — source of continental polar air masses, particularly cold and dry in the winter
• The Arctic — source of cold air masses all seasons
• The subtropical belt — source of torrid air masses which heat up and gain humidity as they pass over the Mediterranean.

As a part of its zonation study, the Consorzio arrived at the following conclusions vis a vis the Chianti Rufina climate:

• … climate that in general can be defined as a warm temperate climate with a dry, hot summer
• … conclude that the agroclimatic characteristics of the wine-growing area of Chianti Rufina make it a territory suited for quality viticulture
• … the analysis of climatic resources shows excellent levers of radiative and thermal resources and rainfall , which are placed on values similar to those found in the best wine-growing areas in Italy and worldwide
• Furthermore, the risk analysis of critical meteorological events for wine production (low winter temperatures, late frosts, high summer temperatures, precipitation in the pre-harvest period, drought) shows that the risk levels do not appear particularly relevant or in any case they are placed such as not to jeopardize viticulture.

Geology and Soils

The Chianti Rufina zonation study sought to identify the physical characteristics of the subregion and map those to vineyard characteristics in order to determine the optimal locations for allowed varieties. I have reported on the climatic findings of the study in a previous section and turn now to the terrestrial aspects.

The chart below shows the elevations within the Chianti Rufina area. As a result of the region’s location on the slopes of the Tuscan-Romagnola Apennines, growing zone elevations can reach as high as 700 m.

Altitude ranges in Chianti Rufina (Source: chiantirufina.com)

The results of the geological and soil aspects of the zonation study are presented in the chart below.

Key elements of the physical environment have been curated from the writings of Ian D’Agata and Chateau Monty:

• The average elevation across the growing zone is 350 m
• Altitude helps with the moderation of summer heat as well as facilitating thermal excursions — aids acid and aroma retention in as well as extending the ripening period
• Proximity to Arno and Sieve Rivers aids in moderation of summer heat
• Soils of limestone (in the area extending south to Dicomano); sand, galestro-albarese, marl, and marly clays in the south; marly silt and chaotic soils west of Pontassieve and Tigliano; and differential soils in Molino del Piano and Santa Brigida.

I will explore the built environment and the wines of Chianti Rufina in future posts.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Sangiovese, the cultivar at Italy's core: Part II, Viticulture -- 15th to 19th century*

Sangiovese is the most widely planted of the Italian varieties (63,000 ha; 10% of all plantings) and is the basis for some of the most important wines in Central Italy. I had previously written about the variety but ongoing research has yielded additional information, requiring an updating of the original material, as well as the way in which it is presented. Towards that end, I will present a more comprehensive view of the variety in four separate posts: clones, viticulture (broader Tuscany in the 14th century; Chianti, 15th to 19th century; Chianti, 20th century), winemaking, and wines. I continue herein with 15th- to 19th-century Chianti viticulture.

Chianti wine has its deepest roots in the period between 1450 and 1550 and a “culture of carefully managed vineyards of Sangiovese in Chianti and Val di Greve dating back to at least 1552” (Nesto and di Savino). Alberello and Testucchio (discussed in a previous post) were two of the most important vine-training systems utilized in the region during the covered period.

Vine Training

Alberello Vine Training

Alberello-trained vines, normally supported by chestnut stakes, were planted in rows along the gradient of the steep hills of Chianti with distances of 1 meter between vines and rows. Olive and fruit trees were sometimes planted among the vines, with the olives especially prized due to their value. According to Nesto and di Savino, the pre-Phylloxera Lamole vineyard was specialized and was planted at more than 10,000 vines/ha. Chianti was so tightly associated with low-training that the method was called all'uso del Chianti when employed elsewhere.

Low-trained vines on steep hillsides will result in steady erosion of topsoil and, over time, a loss of productivity. The farmers in Chianti addressed that problem in two ways. First, they planted the vine rows along the contour of the slope. This impeded the flow of water (and soil) downslope and allowed for more water to be absorbed into the soil. In the case of even steeper slopes, the farmers built stone walls that "would hold back the land and create terraces." 

Alberello-trained vineyard with chestnut staves and 
terraces (For example purposes only; actually a
Mt. Etna vineyard)

Constructing these terraces required "... backbreaking work of countless sharecroppers to break up and excavate the rocks and strata of hardened clay, limestone, and sandstone below the top soil" (Nesto and di Savino). The terraces were configured as follows:

• Vine rows ran parallel to the curve of the walls
• Terrace walls preferably faced south providing cover from the cold north winds
• Radiant heat stored in the rocks warmed the vines, thus advancing ripening
• Moisture seeping through the walls served as a natural form of irrigation
• These terraces ranged between 5- and 12-meters wide; the steeper the incline, the narrower the terrace.

Controlled water movement down the terrace levels was of critical importance and was facilitated by a variety of drainage schemes.

Testucchio Vine-Training System

Whereas the alberello is a low-trained system, the Testucchio (local Tuscan name for the hedge maple) was a system of "running vines up trees with tree branches or reeds stuck into the ground to support the vines planted in between ... The testucchi formed a wall of vegetation that usually surrounded a field where other crops were grown or covered a field themselves, in parallel lines." Such a system is illustrated below.

This system was a massive producer of fruit -- in addition to protecting the vines from heat in the summer and absorbing excess humidity during rainy periods -- but, unfortunately, they were rarely fully ripe and generally were the source of low-quality wines.

The ideal locations for this system were soils deep and fertile enough to support the tree growth. In the first half of the 1800s in Chianti, this system was used in the fertile plains and in the low hills. This system was increasingly employed as the mezzadria system became more institutionalized (Nesto and di Savino).

Mezzadria

Mezzadria was an evolution of feudalism where the landowner and sharecropper (mezzadro) collaborated in a profit-sharing scheme wherein the landowner provided raw materials, implements, and housing and the sharecropping family:

• Grew grapes and olives for the production of wine and olive oil
• Grew vegetables and wheat
• Raised animals for milk and cheese
• Raised chickens for eggs
• Raised other animals for food.

According to Nesto and di Savino, the 1779 period saw the “solidification and expansion of the mezzadria system in Tuscany and Chianti in particular.”

Vine Planting — Replacement and New

The growers had a number of means available to them during this period for replacing vines or planting new vineyards.

Vine Replacement

There were three methods for vine replacement: propagginazione, capogatto, and magliolo. The chart below illustrates the functioning of the initial two systems.

The magliolo system makes use of 2-year-old budwood, approximately 1 meter in length, with the short stub of a 1-year-old cane at one end. The unencumbered end of the budwood is forced into the ground until only the stub is left exposed. This approach is used in a variety of planting scenarios.

Planting New Vineyards

The system for planting new vineyards is similar to the magliolo system described above as regards the implantation of budwood but differs in that the budwood used has been subjected to a type of maturation prior to planting.

According to Nesto and di Savino, lengths of cane from 2-year-old canes are selected and the end with the oldest wood placed into moist, loose soil. After 10 to 12 months, the wood is removed from the soil and is shown to have grown a tuft of roots (That tuft of roots resembles a beard — barba — hence the name barbatella (singular).). This wood is now ready for planting. 

Barbatella

In the Fall prior to planting, a trench 1-meter-wide, and of similar depth, is dug along the contour of the hillside and is halfway filled with rocks; largest rocks at the bottom, smaller ones at the top. The barbatelle are placed in the middle of the trench -- equi-distant from each other -- which is then filled out with loose, rich dirt. The vines are often planted in a quincunx pattern (Nesto and di Savino).

The Quincunx planting system is, essentially, a square planting system with a fifth plant in the center.

Quincunx planting system (http://e-tesda.gov.ph/)

As described in quincunx.it:

In viticulture, the quincunx is a planting pattern: the vines, trained as bushes, are arranged in staggered rows that repeat the lines hinted at in the quincunx. It was the favorite system of the ancient era, because at the same time it met the requirements of order, efficient use of the space and aesthetics: the vineyard looks symmetric regardless of the terrains shape.

It is a way of doing viticulture that is very expensive in terms of energy and economic resources: machinery, in fact, can only be employed to a limited extent. Furthermore, to grow and maintain a healthy bush vineyard planted in the quincunx pattern, it is essential that the growers have a long experience in the area where they operate. 

Vine Diseases and Infestations

The region confronted a number of vine diseases and infestations in the latter half of the 19th-century and the early part of the 20th. The first instance was powdery mildew in the 1852 - 1853 period. “The traditional remedies proved to be completely unfounded and useless and were unable to prevent the destruction of the vineyards. Only the new fungicidal substances containing sulphur gave concrete results, but in order to use them, it was necessary to overcome the consolidated opposition of the farmers who were against the rise of such techniques, not only because of the cost, but also because they required the acceptance of the scientific theories of the time” (Mocarelli and Piñeiro).

Downy mildew followed soon after and its solution was the use of copper sulfate. The onslaught of these two diseases overwhelmed the capabilities and knowledge bases of the mezzadri, forcing the region towards a more scientific approach to viticulture. 

The mother of all vine problems was the Phylloxera louse. First evidenced at Castello di Brolio in 1885, it had, by 1932, touched every corner of the region. As was the case throughout Europe, the solution was replantation with vines cleaved to phylloxera-resistant rootstock.

In addition to its economic impact, phylloxera caused a loss of biotype diversity (due to abandonment) and a re-ordering of the cultivar landscape. Sangiovese, for example, became the dominant red variety while Trebbiano Toscana substituted for Malvasia Bianco on the white-variety front.

Viticulture Issues in the 19th Century

In the 19th century it was commonly held that the wines of Tuscany, Umbria, and Marche were of poor quality (Mocarelli and Piñeiro):

• The maritate system resulted in vines married to tall plants full of leaves which, in turn, prevented the full ripening of the grapes
• Wide variety of grapes grown in bulk
• Different types of grapes, though ripening at different times, is harvested simultaneously and co-fermented
• Mezzadria system promotes quantity over quality 
• As late as the 1880s, there were still few farmers cultivating low vineyards and specialized vineyards were still rare.

Bettino Ricasoli, proprietor at Castello di Brolio and father of the modern Chianti recipe, identified, as early as 1833, a set of mistakes commonly made by the growers of Chianti and advanced relevant solutions. The mistakes (Nesto and di Savino):

• Vines planted too densely within rows
• Leaving heads without cordons forced canes to grow directly from the trunk 
• Sowing crops among the rows allowed vegetation to bury grape bunches
• Leaves stripped form low-trained vines too early.

From the middle of the century, Ricasoli had been engaged in the promotion of agriculture capable of raising the economic destiny of the country. In his Regolamento agrario (1843), he advocated that (Nesto and di Savino):

• Vines be trained low on hills and where exposures were excellent
• Testucchio system be used with discretion near streams and in flat areas. 

“Guided by his belief in the technical and scientific renewal of agriculture, Baron Ricasoli transformed his Tuscan “Castle of Brolio” into an oenological laboratory to create Chianti” and “ succeeded in convincing the farmers to modify obsolete cultivation criteria.”

Summary 

Chianti wine had its deepest roots in the period between 1450 and 1550 and a “culture of carefully managed vineyards of Sangiovese in Chianti and Val di Greve dating back to at least  1552” (Nesto and di Savino). Alberello and Testucchio were two of the most important vine-training systems utilized in the region during the covered period.

Low-trained vines on steep hillsides will result in steady erosion of topsoil and, over time, a loss of productivity. The farmers in Chianti addressed that problem by planting the vine rows along the contour of the slope and, on steeper slopes, building stone walls that "would hold back the land and create terraces." 

In the 19th century it was commonly held that the wines of Tuscany, Umbria, and Marche were of poor quality. Bettino Ricasoli, proprietor at Castello di Brolio and father of the modern Chianti recipe, identified, as early as 1833, a set of mistakes commonly made by the growers of Chianti and advanced relevant solutions.

By the end of the period, the region had confronted and mitigated powdery and downy mildew but phylloxera was still an ongoing scourge; its solution was known, however, and was being implemented.

Bibliography

Luca Mocarelli and Manuel Vaquero Piñeiro, Viticulture in the Italy of the Mezzadria (Tuscany, Umbria and Marche) in A. Silvia, et al., Ed., A History of Wine in Europe, 19th to 20th Centuries, Volume I: Winegrowing and Regional Features, Palgrove, 2019.

*Draws heavily on Nesto and di Savino, Chianti Classico.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Sangiovese: the variety at Italy's core

As I work my way through the sparkling wines of Italy, I have been diverted from time to time by the urge to dig deep into the details of significant varieties on the Italian wine landscape. Such was the case for Grechetto and Grechetto Gentile; and such is the case for Sangiovese.

Sangiovese is the most widely planted of the Italian varieties (63,000 ha; 10% of all plantings) and is the basis for some of the most important wines in Central Italy. The grape, the name of which translates to "Blood of Jove," is small-to-medium in size, round-to-oval in shape, and grows in tight clusters with wings at the shoulders. The skin is thin, with a deep-blue to dark-purple color. The flesh is translucent, seeded, and endowed with high acidity and medium-to-strong tannins.

In addition to the name Sangiovese, the variety has been referenced variously as: Sangiovese grosso, Sangiovese piccolo, Sangioveto, Sangiogheto, San Gioveto, San Zoveto, Prugnolo, Morellino, Brunello, and Nielluccio.

Research has shown it to be the offspring of Calabrese Contenuova and Ciliegiolo but this finding has been disputed by subsequent, competing research results.

Clones
It was previously thought that the grape had three manifestations -- Sangioveto in Chianti, Prugnolo Gentile in Montepulciano, and Brunello (Sangiovese Grosso) in Montalcino -- but clonal research initiated in 1980 (representatives from Banfi, the Chianti Classico Consortium, and the Universities of Florence, Perugia, and Milan) showed that:

1. Sangiovese is a family of highly adaptive grapes
2. There are two biotypes: Tuscan (57 clones) and Romagnon (13 clones).

In further work, Banfi has identified 650 clones in the Montalcino zone and has studied and registered 15 of them. The Banfi study has assessed a number of characteristics (berry size and weight, sugar accumulation, color capability, and tannin polymerization capability) and found significant variation from clone to clone. The team also found that Sangiovese is, moreso than other grape varieties, adaptable to different growing environments.

A total of 70,948 ha of Sangiovese is planted worldwide, with 63,000 ha of that total located within the borders of Italy. Argentina (2804 ha), Romania (1700 ha), Corsica (1633 ha), California (1371 ha) and Australia (440 ha) are the other "significant" players on the field. Within Italy, plantings are concentrated within the Central provinces but are also to be found in Lombardia, Emilia Romagna, Valpolicella, Campania, and Sicily.

Wine Characteristics
Jancis Robinson sees Sangiovese wines ranging along a spectrum which includes mulberries, prunes, spice, tobacco and (sometimes) leather and chestnut. "It tends to be savoury rather than sweet and, if not fully ripe, can smell distinctly farmyard-like."

Ian D'Agata, of Vinous, sees "violet aromas and black tea leaf on the nose and a red fruit profile (red currants and strawberries in cooler areas, red cherries in warmer areas) on the palate  with leather and underbrush notes appearing as the wine ages."

According to Vine Pair, the traditional characteristics of Sangiovese are as follows:

• Ripe and tart red fruit (particular sour cherry)
• Savory herbs (fennel, rosemary, thyme)
• Non-fruit notes to include tomato, iron and balsamic
• Minerality (clay, dark rock)
• Medium- to full-bodied
• High acid
• High tannin.

As has been pointed out previously, however, the Sangiovese character is strongly influenced by the soil in which it is planted. The variety clearly has an affinity for Tuscany, attributable, it has been said, to the limestone levels in the region. There are higher levels of limestone in the soils of Montalcino and Chianti Classico than in the more clay-based soils of Chianti; the difference in wine quality is illustrative. The chart below shows the variety's character as represented in some of its most famous wines in its most famous region.

In addition to Toscana, Sangiovese can be found in:

• Emilia-Romagna -- Sangiovese di Romagna is the most important Sangiovese zone outside Tuscany. The wine has to be a minimum 95% Sangiovese and expressions range from full-bodied and tannic to lighter, fruitier options, based on location
• Umbria -- The grape is used in the Montefalco Rosso DOC (60 - 80%); Torgiano Rosato and Rosso DOC (> 50%); and Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG (> 70%)
• Marche -- Some pure expressions but primarily used as a blending agent (up to 15%) with the Montepulciano grape in Rosso Conero
• Lazio -- Important red wine grape in this province.

Sangiovese has aging potential but the vast majority of its wines are consumable in the earlier parts of their lives. Brunello is an exception in that it requires 5 - 10 years to be optimal. Most other Sangiovese wines are ready at around 5 years and peak at around 10.

Winemaking
Sangiovese's high acidity, light color (due to a lack of acylated anthocyanins), and light body can be problematic for winemakers. They have, however, devised a number of methods to add body and texture to wines made from the variety.

Varietal Blending
Winemakers have historically blended Sangiovese wines with other varietals in order to complement its attractive qualities and fill in some of the gaps. These historical blending partners include Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Mammolo, Colorino, and white grapes Trebbiano and Malvasia.

Since the late 20th-century, it has become fashionable to blend Sangiovese with Bordeaux varietals, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon adds "rich saturation and structure" while Merlot adds lushness and softness. Chianti limits Cabernet Sauvignon to 15% of the blend.

Clonal Blending
Growers are utilizing  the newly commercialized clones that have emerged from research to affect the character of their wines. Banfi has taken the lead in clone blending, choosing 15 of them as being best-suited to its microclimate and preferred style of Brunello. One of these clones provides more violet aromas, another provides greater acidity, while a third provides deeper color.

Other Tactics
A number of other tactics have been deployed:

• Utilization of grapes from extremely low-yielding vines
• Adjusting fermentation temperature and length
• Extending maceration from a period of 7 - 12 days to a period ranging between 3 and 4 weeks
• Use of new French oak for aging rather than the traditional large, used oak botti
• Transferring the wine to new French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation results in higher levels of tannin polymerization and a rounder, softer mouthfeel
• Wine flavor is enhanced due to Sangiovese's sponge-like acquisition of sweet vanilla and other oak components from the barrels.

Sangiovese and Food
According to Food and Wine, "Pair Sangiovese with rare steaks, roasted game birds (or wild boar), rich chicken or mushroom dishes or anything with tomato sauce. On her Il Palazzone blog, Laura Gray, the Estate Manager, shared a wonderful recipe for Onion and Paprika Beef Spezzatino to accompany the estate's 2013 Brunello. It looks fantastic.

*********************************************************************************************************
I took a detour from sparkling wines and happened upon the "Blood of Jove."

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Chianti Classico Wine Region

In a January 2001 article on Italian Merlot (New Wave Merlot in Italy, Wine Business.com), Franco Zillani notes that the presence of Merlot in Italy was first documented by one Salvatore Mondini who identified the variety as being present "in various regions of the north as well as in Tuscany, Latium, ... and Campania ..." The Merlots of note in Tuscany today are centered around Bolgheri and Suvereto in the Province of Livorno, Chianti Classico (Provinces of Florence and Siena), and Bucine (Province of Arezzo).  We have covered the Merlots of Bolgheri and Suvereto so far in this series and now turn our attention to the Merlots of Chianti Classico. We begin with a discourse on the region.

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)

The Chianti Classico climate is continental, with long summers and cold winters. Annual rainfall ranges between 700 and 800 millimeters and occurs primarily in the spring and late autumn.

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).

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 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 has announced the introduction of a new tier of wine that will be positioned above the Riserva. This new tier will be 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. Producers can begin offering these wines using their 2010 vintages. While some producers see this as a positive step, potentially leading to single-vineyard offerings, others see the possibility for creating greater confusion as the consumer wades through the thickets of Chianti, Chianti Classico, IGT, and the relevant tiers.

Besides its DOCG wines, Chianti Classico is also known for a sweet wine called Vin Santo and as the birthplace of the now-famous Super Tuscans. Vin Santo is made from Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes which are harvested and dried -- either on mats or hanging from ceilings -- for several months. After pressing, the wines are aged in oak casks for long periods. The Super Tuscan wines grew out of producer-frustration with earlier iterations of the wine laws which prevented them from making wines that were 100% Sangiovese or removing the allowed white varieties from the wine. These producers took this action anyway but the resulting wines could only be called table wine under existing laws. These wines were so finely made, and widely accepted, that the laws were modified such that a new level -- IGT -- was created above the table wine to support their initiative. The current instance of the Chianti Classico wine laws would allow many of the Super Tuscan wines to be labeled as Chianti Classico but many producers continue to retain the IGT label and the success that they have enjoyed as standalone brands.

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