S3 E6: Mapping Chianti Classico’s UGAs Part 2 with Alessandro Masnaghetti and Caterina Mori

The Wine Thieves are back with part two of a series on the Unità Geografiche Aggiuntivi of Chianti Classico (or UGAs) the recently announced additional geographic units that will begin appearing on labels of the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione category as of this year.  Joining us again are Caterina Mori, Director of Communications for the Chianti Classico Consorzio, and the "Map Man" Alessandro Masnaghetti who literally drew up the map of the 11 new UGS that we’ll be covering in deep detail in this episode. If you haven't already listened to part one, go back to the previous episode as it will be critical to your understanding of this instalment. 

Geology, and the soils derived from these underlying rocks formed an important basis for Masnaghetti’s map-making work. To begin the episode, John and Sara provide a brief recap of Tuscan geology and terminology you'll encounter travelling through the 11 UGAs, along with what can be expected from the wines grown on each of the main "geological units", marine and continental, and the  specific soil types that fall under each.  Masgnaghetti discusses how the various soil types translate into to different organoleptic wine profiles in each UGA, from the macigno, pietraforte, albarese and Formazione di Sillano of the marine formations, to the continental units that include the gravelly-alluvial soils of San Casciano in the north and the lacustrine clay soils typical of the western part of the Castellina UGA. 

The UGA tour  proceeds clockwise, starting from San Casciano in the northwest corner of the Chianti Classico area,  continuing through Greve, Montefiorale, Lamole, Panzano, Radda, Gaiole, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Valgliagli, and finally San Donato in Poggio.

Special thanks to our WineAlign colleague and Chianti Classico ambassador Michael Godel, who kindly chose a song to match the feel and vibe of each of the 11 UGAs for this episode. Acquire some bottles, hit play on the UGA playlist, and taste your way through this historic territory.

Michael Godel's Chianti Classico "UGA Soundtrack"

1.     San Casciano - Feeling Gravity's Pull, R.E.M.

2.     Greve - Red Eyes, The War on Drugs 

3.     Lamole - Herbal Scent, Tom Browne

4.     Montefioralle - More than a Feeling, Boston

5.     Panzano - Fantasy, Earth, Wind & Fire

6.     Radda - People Get Ready, Curtis Mayfield

7.     Gaiole - Fresh, Kool & The Gang

8.     Castelnuovo Berardenga - Into the Great Wide Open, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

9.     Vagliagli – Gustosità, Nino Rapicavoli 

10.  Castellina - Ahead by a Century, The Tragically Hip

11.  San Donato in Poggio - Compte à Rebour Adagio, Georges Delerue 

This episode was produced thanks to a Campaign Financed According to EU Regulation No 1308/2013.