Terroir 2010 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 What is the best soil for Sangiovese quality wine?

What is the best soil for Sangiovese quality wine?

Abstract

Sangiovese is one of the main cultivar in the Italian ampelographic outline and it occupies more than 60% of total vineyard surface in the Tuscany region. It is also well known that the environmental variability causes an important influence over the viticultural and oenological results of Sangiovese, which does not have strict genetic control over the vegetal-productive behaviour.
The aim of this work was to single out the best soil characteristics for Sangiovese quality, on the basis of the vine performance of Sangiovese (VPS). For this purpose, a matching table, considering eight viticultural parameters, was utilized. The matching table permitted to classify the selected parameters into three classes of decreasing vine performance. A set of 79 experimental plots, sited on 47 farms, were utilized during a time span varying from two to five years (1989-1992; 1993-1994; 1997-2000; 2002-2007 and 2008-2009). Two datasets were created. One considering all the invariant soil and topography characteristics of the plots. The second, storing the year-depended variables. The data were submitted to principal component analysis (PCA) to highlight those invariant and year-depended climate and pedoclimate variables which were significantly correlated with the average values of the VPS of each vineyard. Discriminant Analysis was employed to identify the most significant variables and their discriminating power on VPS.
The results highlighted that invariant site characteristics are the most discriminant at the province level, while climate and pedoclimate show their influence on VPS at more detailed scales. At the province level, VPS is significantly influenced by rock fragments, stoniness, available water capacity (AWC), and elevation. The ideal soil for Sangiovese in the province of Siena is placed between 315 and 335 m asl, has an AWC ranging from 110 and 120 mm, shows a limited surficial stoniness of about 8-10%, and it is rather skeletal (rock fragments content 12-16%).
These results can be used in land evaluation and vine zoning, in particular, for the selection of the best crus of the province, they may help the choice of land for a new vine planting, but they might be also used in pedotechnique, that is, in the creation of vineyard soils by means of earth movements.

 

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: December 3, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2010

Type: Article

Authors

P. Bucelli (1), R. Barbetti (1), G. L’Abate (1), S. Pellegrini (1), P. Storchi (2), E.A.C. Costantini (1)

(1) Agricultural Research Council. Research Centre for Agrobiology and Pedology – Piazza M. D’ Azeglio, 30 – 50121 Firenze, Italy
(2) Agricultural Research Council. Research Unite for Viticulture – SOP – Via Romea 53 – 52020 Arezzo, Italy

Contact the author

Keywords

soil, climate, grape, red wine, Tuscany

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2010

Citation

Related articles…

Beneficial effects of moderate consumption of Teran red wine on blood lipid profile: a preliminary study on healthy volunteers

Moderate wine consumption may impact several human health aspects, among others as a result of phenolic compounds present in wine and their bioactive properties. The aim of this study was to determine whether six weeks of daily, moderate Teran red wine consumption affects the levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol – HDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol – LDL, and triglycerides. Sixty-eight healthy adults (46 women and 22 men) aged 25-64 years voluntarily agreed to participate in the study.

Read More

Study of the oenological potential of varieties resistant to cryptogamic diseases and drought to anticipate varietal selection in Occitanie

In the context of climate change and the growing need to reduce the use of phytosanitary products, the exploration of disease-resistant grape varieties and/or adapted to drought conditions is becoming crucial for the wine industry in certain regions of France, such as Occitanie. Currently, exploring the oenological potential of varieties by analyzing their biochemical composition before and after winemaking comes rather late in the varietal selection process.

Read More

Satellite imagery : a tool for large scale vineyard management

Remote sensing, using Near Infra Red wavelength, can characterize within-vineyard variability using vegetation index. Between 2007 and 2009, a study was led on the vineyards of a cooperative winery, in Fitou area (France) aiming at characterizing vineyard oenological potential. A vegetation index, green leaf cover, developed on crops (wheat, rice, corn…) was implemented on vineyards.

Read More

Vertical cordon training system enhances yield and delays ripening in cv. Maturana Blanca

The growing interest in minority grape varieties is due to their potential for adaptation to global warming and their oenological capabilities. However, the cultivation of these varieties has often been limited due to their low economic efficiency. One such example is Maturana Blanca, a recently recovered and authorized minority grape variety in the DOCa Rioja region, known for its remarkable oenological potential but low productivity. This study aimed to increase the yield of Maturana Blanca by implementing the vertical cordon training system, which allowed for a higher number of buds per plant and an increased cluster count per vine.

Read More

Évolution de la surmaturation du cépage Chenin dans différents terroirs des Coteaux du Layon en relation avec les variables agroviticoles

The French “Coteaux du Layon” Appellation of Origin has built its Jarne on the production of sweet white wines. A network of experimental plots, based on the “terroir” concept, was established in 1990; it allows for the follow-up of the overripening behaviour of the grapes in relation with the agroviticultural parameters.

Read More