Going Native in those Rolling Hills

A little light info to get us all started on TOSCANA:

Regional Vineyard:

Total Vineyard Size

59,992 hectares is the size of the total regional vineyard including Quality wines, table wines & table grapes

Dedicated to Quality

40,962 hectares are dedicated to producing grapes for Quality wines.

Notable Cru/Zones:

Bolgheri *

DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia is one to note as it doesn’t include any native grapes

Carmignano*

DOCG Carmignano must contain min 50% Sangiovese, max 20% Canaiolo Nero, max 10-20% international varieties, max 10% local white varieties

Chianti *

DOCG Chianti must contain min 70% Sangiovese. Of the remaining part max 10% white varieties that could be for example Trebbiano Toscano or Malvasia Bianca Lunga

Chianti Classico*

DOCG Chianti Classico must contain min 80% Sangiovese, max 20% other reds

Colline Lucchesi

Elba*

DOCG Elba Aleatico Passito must contain 100% Aleatico

Maremma Toscana

Montalcino*

DOCG Brunello di Montalcino 100% Sangiovese Grosso

Montecucco *

DOCG Montecucco Sangiovese min 90% Sangiovese

Montepulciano*

DOCG Vino Nobile di Montepulciano must contain min 70% Sangiovese and max 20% Canaiolo Nero

Montescudaio

Orcia

Pitigliano

San Gimignano*

Native home to one tasty & important white – must contain min 90% Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Find it northwest of Siena.

Scansano *

DOCG Morellino di Scansano based on min 85% Sangiovese

Siena

Sovana

Sant’ Antimo

Suvereto*

DOCG basedon international varieties

Val d’Arbia

Val di Cornia *

DOCG Val di Cornia Rosso must contain min 40% Sangiovese, max 60% international varieties + max 20% others

Valdichiana

Valdinievole

Wine Style/Quality:

% RED

83%

% WHITE

17%

% DOP / IGP

The most recent figures from 2013 indicate an estimated 70.3% of wines from Toscana are produced according to EU DOP Quality standards. The region produces 50 different DOP wines, amongst which are 11 DOCG (top classification wines) and one step below 39 DOC wines. They also produce 5 regional IGP wines accounting for 24.3% of production. Table wines account for 5.4% of output.

TOSCANA – NATIVE GRAPES

As always, a number of the regions native grape varieties are used only for blending purposes. That said, we’ve listed those grapes which we understand might be available as mono-varietals or which are important blenders. Naturally, as we make our own discovery, we’ll update these lists.

NATIVE REDS

ABRUSCO

ALEATICO

BARSAGLINA

BONAMICO

CALORIA

CANAIOLO NERO

CILIEGIOLO

COLOMBANA NERA

COLORINO

FOGLIA TONDA

GALLIZZONE

MAMMOLO

MAZZESE

MORONE

PUGNITELLO

RASPIROSSO

SANGIOVESE*

As one of the worlds truly GREAT grapes, Sangiovese comes in more than one shape and size – amongst others, look out for the Grosso (Brunello), Piccolo (Morellino di Scansano) and Prugnolo Gentile (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano). Also look for it under the name ‘Sangioveto’.

VERMENTINO NERO

NATIVE WHITES

BIANCONE DI ELBA

MALVASIA BIANCA LUNGA

TREBBIANO TOSCANO

VERDEA

VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO*

Crisp citrus fruit in its youth that becomes a more profound, mineral, perfumed and spiced beauty as a RISERVA.

OUR STATSOURCES

ISTAT – Italy’s Istituto Nazionale delle Statistiche (Census 2010 / Vineyard Production Figures 2013)
AIS – The Association of Italian Sommeliers
‘I Numeri del Vino’ – Marco Baccaglio’s top Italian blog – lots of numbers :)
Wine Grapes – Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz – lots of great grape stuff – BUY IT !
Native Wine Grapes of Italy – Ian D’Agata – extensive – Highly recommend its purchase !
Lavinium – Italian wine, food & culture. Brilliant. Only in Italian. Great reason to learn Italian!! www.lavinium.com

VINTAGE INFORMATION

All data is intended to be for indicative purposes only due to the variability from vintage to vintage. But we do try to keep ourselves ‘reasonably’ updated :)