Chianti Classico: sandstone above, sea sand below
North-west to south-east from Vagliagli village down the Dievole slopes, from Macigno sandstone to the marine sands of the Siena side. Tap a layer to read it.
Swipe the plate sideways to see the whole section.
Schematic. The rock types are the ones the Consorzio and Dievole name (Macigno, Monte Morello clay-limestone, marine sands), but the fault and the boundaries are drawn to show the idea, not surveyed. Dievole's own position and the rows behind each wine are approximate: the estate starts at about 450 m and falls south-east to about 300 m. Check against the Regione Toscana 1:10,000 geological map.
4 layers, youngest at the top
Why one estate makes two styles
- Macigno sandstone is lime-free and drains fast: lift, perfume and fine tannin.
- Alberese limestone and marl hold more water: body and juiciness.
- The marine sands lower down are warm and loose: supple, open wine.
- Height falls from over 500 m at Vagliagli to under 300 m, so the same Sangiovese ripens on different clocks.
Did you knowChianti Classico now has eleven UGAs, village-like sub-zones that a Gran Selezione may name on its label. Vagliagli is one of them; Masnaghetti's soil maps for the UGAs are drawn from the regional geological survey.
Pas Mal wines on this ground
Sources: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, UGA Vagliagli and Castelnuovo Berardenga pages; Club Oenologique and WineAlign on the UGAs; Dievole estate notes; Regione Toscana Geoscopio geological map; AWS Terrain Tiles.