Reviews

Landscape and viticulture: the future of Chianti Classico
«Vinnaya Karta» №3(84) April 2007

This was the theme of a seminar which was recently held in Florence by representatives of Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, University of Florence and communes in the Chianti Classico zone.

The reason for the meeting was a new initiative of the consortium for a detailed study of the wine area. In future it may lead to the first classification of Chianti Classico terroirs.

The Carta del Chianti research project is a first serious step of the united consortium towards large scale study of landscapes, soils and best viticultural practices in the historic wine production zone of Tuscany. Its main objective is to create a map for sustainable management of agriculture in Chianti Classico. In future results of the research will be the basis of the Charter of Chianti which will be able to zone the vineyards and specify certain quality standards for them.

The project was launched after preliminary agreement between the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico and eight leading communes — Barberino Val d’Elsa, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti, San Casciano, Tavarnelle and Radda in Chianti. It is funded by the European Union and participating communes. The scientific research and development is done by two departments of the University of Florence: the Department of Agronomic Sciences and the Department of Urbanism and Territorial Planning.

According to the mayor of Tavarnelle Stefano Fusi, a man is not only a user of a landscape, but also be its creator. Many Chianti Classico farmers are now approaching new vineyard plantings with care and take into account the issues of soil conservation as well as aesthetic aspects. Owners of the agricultural farms are aware of the fact that a vineyard which was not planned well loses nearly all of its thin layer of fertile topsoil during 30-40 years of life. They also increasingly realize that natural beauty of a landscape adds value to a vineyard. Moreover, it has direct economic influence on the activities of the estates which also work in the business of agro tourism.

New vineyards meeting these criteria are often ‘crosswise systems’ with vine rows going in the direction of the level curves. At times these systems use old terraces or create new. ‘Connected level’ is one of the effective ways of terrace management. They enable machines to move between terraces unhindered.

Decorative elements are also starting to play important role in landscape formation. Some of the approaches are conservation of existing old trees and hedges, covering escarpments with bushes or plants, planting cypress trees along the village roads, etc.

Examples of best practices in Chianti Classico will be catalogued and be available through internet. The catalogue will promote and encourage best agronomic practices on the territory of the region. Thus the farmers will be able to evaluate the effect of new changes and to get practical recommendations for managing landscapes. A possibility of having a pilot project on a national level is being discussed at present.

Another fundamental research led to creating an unprecedentedly detailed map of Chianti Classico on a scale of 1:10,000. It shows rows of vines in the vineyards, hedges, isolated trees, road systems and also the roads and buildings already listed in the Land Register of 1820. The information was integrated into GIS system based on the digital map of Tuscany. It is used to develop studies and policies regarding the landscape and environmental aspects of the territory. ‘Objectives of quality’ were defined for different types of landscape and policies for achieving them were suggested.

During work many values were calculated including solar energy received by crops, the erosion level on the basis of the angle of the slope, type of terrain, hydraulic systems, measurements of the vineyards, etc. It was established that around 40-50% of Chianti Classico vineyards need to be replanted. Special attention was given to the issue of soil erosion which in some places can be as high as 150-200 tonnes per hectare per year.

Next an internet programme will be developed which will give the estates a practical analysis of new works in the vineyards. The programme will be able to answer the question how useful and practical intended transformations within individual estates will be, including planting of new vineyards.

President of Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico Marco Pallanti stated that consortium’s next step will be to draw up a formal document which will confirm agreement of all sides on recognizing the landscape as an asset. According to him, the results of the scientific research will be used for various purposes. They will enable to carry out general recommendations regarding where and which varieties to plant. They will also lay foundation to the zoning of Chianti Classico vineyards. “This work is helpful for enhancing the value of Chianti Classico territory and for improving the quality of our wines”, said Pallanti.