Vin Santo del Chianti

Italy · DOC (PDO) · Toscana · 1 commune(s)

Styles

Natural factors

The production zone falls within central Tuscany and extends across a geologically homogeneous belt running from the Mugello, through the Chianti hills, to the territory of the commune of Cetona.
From a geological standpoint, the territory is divided into four systems in decreasing order of formation age: Miocene–Eocene pre-Apennine ridges, Pliocene hills, the intermontane basin of the Valdarno Superiore with Pleistocene deposits, and alluvial deposits.
The vineyards are cultivated at an average elevation of between 200 and 400 metres above sea level, with a maximum altitude of 700 metres permitted under the production rules.
The climate of the Vin Santo del Chianti production area may be described as humid to sub-humid, with a summer water deficit, and a mean annual rainfall of 867 mm, ranging from a minimum of 817 mm to a maximum of 932 mm.
Peak rainfall is generally recorded in November at 121 mm, while August is on average the warmest month with mean temperatures above 23 °C and January the coldest at around 5 °C.

Human factors

The current production rules were approved by Ministerial Decree of 28 August 1997, defining for the first time the production territory of Vin Santo del Chianti.
Production involves a selection of the grapes followed by natural drying, traditionally on reed mats known as cannicci placed in the attics of farmhouses and estates, after which the must is fermented in small wooden casks called caratelli.
In the past, the caratelli were kept in loft spaces or attics, where the pronounced seasonal temperature swings subjected the wine, over the years, to repeated partial fermentations.

Product characteristics

Vin Santo del Chianti displays a colour ranging from golden yellow to deep amber, an ethereal and intense nose, and a harmonious, velvety palate that is dry or progressively rounder in the abboccato, amabile, and dolce styles. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
Vin Santo del Chianti Occhio di Pernice displays a colour ranging from garnet red to orange with age, a warm and intense nose, and an amabile or dolce palate that is soft, velvety, and round. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
At the end of the ageing period the wine must have a minimum total alcoholic strength of 15.50% vol.

Terroir / wine link

The scarcity of summer rainfall combined with high average temperatures and adequate sunshine induces water stress in the vine, which contributes to producing grapes that are particularly well suited to yielding a wine with positive characteristics.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

About this boundary

Area: the official production zone published by the regional geoportal (Toscana).