Chianti Classico UGA Montefioralle
Named for the magnificent medieval walled town that watches over the left bank of the Greve River, Montefioralle is a small but mighty UGA. Covering just 250 hectares of vines, it sits tucked into the western edges of the Greve UGA. The vineyards here face mostly east at elevations up to 450 meters, generally a warm but highly balanced microclimate, with daytimes temperature peaks occuring relatively earlier in the day than western facing regions, and strong diurnal shifts.
The Unified Terroir: Unlike its neighbors, the soils here shift away from sandstone and are dominated almost entirely by Alberese (clay-marl) illustrated in light green and Pietraforte (hard sandstone) illustrated in darker green, with a narrow band of the formation of Sillano (clay-limestone) which is the palest band to the east of the UGA and at the lowest elevation. Unlike its neighbors, the soils here shift away from sandstone and are dominated almost entirely by the famous Monte Morello Formation—specifically Alberese (clay-marl) and marly limestones that give these wines their driving acidity and fine-grained structure.
While the temperatures throughout Montefioralle are generally moderate it is worth noting that eastern edge, at lower elevations, is somewhat warmer, with warmth lasting longer through the day. Because this is where the only anomalous soil outcropping is located, that strip of formation of Sillano, it is a region that produces wines with a slightly different character than the majority of the UGA.
- What to Expect: Highly consistent, fruity, and rounded wines. They showcase excellent freshness and minerality, but generally possess a more approachable, medium structure compared to the massive wines of the south, though with their less dense feel that can seem as structured in their youth. The age very well as they tend to be balanced wines from inception.
Wineries in Montefioralle: - Azienda Agricola Montefioralle
- Castello di Verrazzano
- Conti Caponi
- Podere Campriano
Wineries in Montefioralle on Pietraforte
- Altiero
- Podere Meriggio alle Falcole
Wineries in Montefioralle on the formation of Sillano
- Fattoria Viticcio