If an area is especially suited to growing vines and making good wine, it is due to certain weather and geological conditions as well as a passion and tradition handed down through the generations. All these conditions are found in their finest expression here in Chianti.

VINEYARD
The choice of the area (which must be in a sunny position) and the type of soil where a vineyard is to be planted is of fundamental importance. According to an old saying, “vines prefer stony ground”, and stony soil is indeed ideal for Chianti varieties, since it allows water to filter through to the roots of the vine without stagnating. Soil types like Galestro (rich in splintered stones) and Alberese (light grey shaly limestone formed in the Eocene era) are both found in the Pogni and Marcialla areas.
The selected area must be ploughed flat where too sloping and ditches must be dug to channel rainwater and avoid the formation of stagnant pools and landslides.
The next decision regards which vine varieties to plant and how to place the rows and plants. Rows of vines usually follow the slope of the land and the distance between them may vary between 2.3 and 2.8 metres, depending on the machinery available for working in the vineyard and the desired grape yield per hectare. This yield must not exceed 90 quintals per hectare, according to the production regulations for Chianti. The vines are usually planted 70-90cm apart and the number of plants per hectares thus varies from 4000 to 6000.
The new vineyard is planted in spring and is ready for its first harvest after three years.
The vines has quite a long productive life at a good standard of quality, sometimes over 30 years.

GRAPE VARIETIES
At Pogni and Marcialla we grow native local grape varieties:
Sangiovese, the main variety used in Chianti production, which gives the wine its body and structure;
Canaiolo, Colorino, Trebbiano and Malvasia del Chianti, which combine with the microclimate and terroir to enhance the high quality features typical of a good Chianti;
And also international varieties:
Cabernet Sauvignon, which gives the wine its vigorous personality;
Merlot, which contributes smoothness and elegance;
Alicante, for its colour.

SANGIOVESE
Sangiovese, the cornerstone of Chianti wine production, is an ancient variety: historians believe it grew in Tuscany at the time of the Etruscans and it is first mentioned in a text dating back to the 17th century.
Its name derives from the Latin phrase Sanguis Jovis or “Jove’s blood”.
There are two main biotypes of Sangiovese in Tuscany: one has small or strong grapes, and the other has larger grapes and is called “gentile”. All wines made from Sangiovese grapes have common features like bright ruby red colour, vibrant fruity and floral aromas with a hint of morello cherries (a rather sharp-flavoured cherry) and violets, and an intensely lingering flavour.

WORK IN THE VINEYARD
Pruning. Carried out in the winter to cut back shoots that have grown too long during summer. Tying the vines. Between later winter and early spring, shoots are tied to the wires according to the type of training system used. At Fattoria Pogni two different types are used: single-arched, in which the shoot is bent downwards and tied to the wire, and spurred cordon, in which the shoot is tied horizontally to the wire leaving small spurs of branch above.
Thinning the foliage. Deciding whether or not to do this job is a wager: only the weather conditions in the subsequent months will determine the result. On the one hand it allows the grapes greater exposure to the sun’s rays, but on the other is leaves them exposed to harmful weather conditions too, such as hail or heavy rainfall.
Treatment for vine disease. This is carried out periodically as necessary to prevent diseases which could affect the health of the vine or the grapes. The most common of these procedures is spraying with copper sulphate.
At Fattoria Pogni all the procedures carried out conform to the strict environmental regulations of supervised control.

GREEN HARVESTING
In particularly productive years the bunches are thinned. This is usually carried out between late July and early August, and is called “green harvesting” because the unripe bunches removed from the shoots are green.
Bunch thinning sometimes involves a considerable reduction in the quantity of grapes produced per hectare but is absolutely necessary in order to maintain high quality in the grapes remaining on the vine. In order for the vine to nourish its fruit properly, there should be a maximum of 4-6 bunches and no more on each plant.
The first bunches to be thinned are those furthest from the stalk.