THE VINEYARDS
IN LAMOLE
The Terroir
Lamole, a high-lying hamlet of the municipality of Greve in Chianti, is in the fairly northern section of Chianti Classico; its highest vineyards are more than 650 meters above sea level, at the upper limit for Sangiovese in Tuscany.
The soils, which offer very good drainage, are made up of ocher-colored sandstones, known as “macigno toscano” (“Tuscan boulder”) to underline their texture and weight; mingled with them are inserts of alberese and galestro, and the mixture of soils that results is one of the secrets of the completeness of the local reds, which are perfumed and extremely elegant, vigorous and persistent.
The Terraces
Giving tangible proof of man’s relationship with his environment, the terraces of Lamole tell a story of fatigue, patience and courage.
The kilometers of dry stone walls, constructed by hand for centuries with the local rocks, have a vital function for the vines: apart from providing cultivable areas of land, they limit the erosion of topsoil towards the valley; they reflect sunlight during the day, thus stimulating the photosynthesis of the vines; and they retain heat, which they then give back at night.
At Lamole, the painstaking maintenance of these precious walls is part and parcel of protecting the countryside: it is a duty that we consider a privilege.
A southwest-facing site at between 420 and 576 meters above sea level.
Planted partly on terraces between 1982 and 2009, and lying over a giant, sparkling bed of quartz, it is the outstanding vineyard of our zone, capable of permeating its wines with elegance and structure.
This is a splendid vineyard at between 470 and 556 meters of altitude; essentially sandy, it faces west and includes bush-trained vines from March 1945 as well as new plantings from 2009, 2011 and 2013.
It yields a wine with bright, clean fruit, soft tannins and a tangy, persistent flavor.
This is a “heroic” vineyard: just one hectare at 607-655 meters. It is a natural terrace, a “lama” (“blade”) in the ancient sense of the word (lamulae: flat plots of land on steep slopes).
The vines, which sink their roots in the fissures of the underlying rock, yield a translucent, fruity, acidulous red, with real finesse.
This is a magnificent set of terraces on sands of pale ocher-colored macigno, between 540 and 580 meters above sea level.
The vineyard, trained using the archaic system of Lamole bush vines, faces due south, in a context that is well-ventilated and where the light is extremely pure and intense, thanks partly to the refraction caused by the terraces themselves.
From this terraced “cru” at high altitude (598-655 meters), swept by cool breezes and with a fine southwesterly exposure, we obtain our Vinsanto. The white grapes ripen perfectly in its particular microclimate, remaining rich in acidity.
This is their real secret and that of the wine they yield, which is as sweet and well-tempered as it is vigorous and lively.
Planted on March 20th, 1945, our Historic vineyard includes 110 vines among which have been recognized more than 30 different clones of Sangiovese.
Here the rows of vines are cultivated as “alberello”: one of the most traditional forms of vine training used in small vineyards with limited water or nutritional availability, or unfavorable climate.
