Aknowledgment and management of vocational units in Chianti Rufina

In Tuscany region the Rufina is a district of Chianti D.O.C.G. positioned in Val di Sieve, 20 km north east from Florence. During the three years period (2002-2004) a study for a viticultural zoning has been carried in order to characterize the productions. By a pedological survey it was possible to characterize Rufina territory in 13 Landscape Units in which the choice of the vineyards was made. The variety mainly used for the study was the autochthonous Sangiovese with 29 vineyards; also some vineyards of Merlot have been characterised in order to assess its suitability to the studied area. Climate study has been realised using the historical data that have been processed by the main climatic indexes to characterize the different environment in relation to grape grown. For each of the 36 vineyards maturation dynamics were assessed in the pre-harvest period and, at harvest, data about quality and production have been collected; moreover microvinifications for each vineyard were made and the obtained wines have been chemically and sensorial analyzed. Data processing showed al lot of differences that made possible to identify and classify the territory of Chianti Rufina in 11 Vocational Units. Publications of a Manual of good practices, allowed to give technical advices, from planting agronomical management of vineyard, of identified Units with the aim to optimize productive activities depending on the oenological target set.