Grapevine performances in five areas of ‘Chianti Classico’ Comportement de la vigne en cinq zones des « Chianti Classico »

The research was carried out in the ‘Chianti Classico’ area and it was part of the ‘Chianti Classico 2000’ research project. The performances ‘Sangiovese’ grapevine (clone ‘SSF-A548’) grafted on ‘1103P’ and ‘420A’ rootstocks, were evaluated during a six years period, on five experimental vineyards located in the Province of Florence and Siena. The vineyards were established at a density of 3500 plants per hectare, trained to horizontal spur cordon (m 0.7 from the ground) with 30000 buds per hectare. The main meteorological data were monitored by automatic stations and soil analysis was performed at the beginning of the trials. Vines were planted in a randomized block design with four or five replication according to the vineyard size and uniformity. During six consecutive years on 30 plants from each thesis were carried out the following observations: phenology earliness (budbreak, veraison), bud fertility, bunch weight, and yield and pruning weight per plant, must characteristics of the berries at harvest. Physical and chemical analysis of wines obtained from microvinification (made in 500 L containers), were also performed. The climatic differences resulted among the zones of the ‘Chianti Classico’ examined, had a significant effect on vine phenology also in relationship with altitude, which together to soil characteristics contributed to affect the agronomic behaviour of the three varieties, the must composition and the wine characteristics. Discriminant analysis allowed distinguishing some sites, whose differences can be ascribed to the territorial influence on the vegetative and productive activity of the grapevine, berry ripening and wine composition. Hierarchical influences due to clone ‘SSF-A548’ according to the site and year are presented.