What is made here
Wine colours
Colours the rules allow. Pick a colour to filter the rules and grapes below.
Where it is
Valdichiana toscana in Italy
- Latitude
- 43.0°–43.6° N
- Vineyard altitude
- 257 m to 505 m
- Production zone
- 149,817 ha
Contains 4 appellations (outlined on the zone map)
Cortona, Rosso di Montepulciano, Vin Santo di Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Worked out from the boundaries (smallest container first). They follow whole communes, so a neighbour sharing a commune can show up here too.
Boundary drawn from whole communes, so it is a little larger than the legal zone. Boundary: Eurac Research PDO inventory (CC0). Country outlines: Natural Earth. Dots on the zone map are the vineyard points used for climate.
Showing every colour The colour filter changes the rules and grapes. Climate, vintages and soils describe the vineyards, so they stay the same.
01 · What the law says
The rules
Limits on grapes, yields, ripeness and ageing that every wine labelled Valdichiana toscana must meet.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Bianco/Bianco Vergine
- ≥ 20% Trebbiano Toscano · Main grape
- ≤ 80% Chardonnay / Pinot bianco / Grechetto / Pinot grigio · Allowed
- ≤ 15% other white grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 31 January of the year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Chardonnay
- ≥ 85% Chardonnay · Main grape
- ≤ 15% other white grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 31 January of the year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Grechetto
- ≥ 85% Grechetto · Main grape
- ≤ 15% other white grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 31 January of the year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Sangiovese
- ≥ 85% Sangiovese · Main grape
- ≤ 15% other red grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 31 January of the year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Rosso
- ≥ 50% Sangiovese · Main grape
- ≤ 50% Cabernet franc / Cabernet sauvignon / Merlot / Sirah · Allowed
- ≤ 15% other red grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 31 January of the year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Rosato
- ≥ 50% Sangiovese · Main grape
- ≤ 50% Cabernet franc / Cabernet sauvignon / Merlot / Sirah · Allowed
- ≤ 15% other red grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 31 January of the year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Vin Santo
- ≥ 50% Trebbiano toscano / Malvasia bianca (Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia Bianca lunga, Malvasia istriana) · Main grape
- ≤ 50% other white grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 1 November of the third year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Vin Santo Riserva
- ≥ 50% Trebbiano toscano / Malvasia bianca (Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia Bianca lunga, Malvasia istriana) · Main grape
- ≤ 50% other white grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 1 November of the fourth year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Frizzante
- ≥ 20% Trebbiano Toscano · Main grape
- ≤ 80% Chardonnay / Pinot bianco / Grechetto / Pinot grigio · Allowed
- ≤ 15% other white grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 31 January of the year after the harvest.
Blend rules
Valdichiana Toscana Spumante
- ≥ 20% Trebbiano Toscano · Main grape
- ≤ 80% Chardonnay / Pinot bianco / Grechetto / Pinot grigio · Allowed
- ≤ 15% other white grapes suitable in Toscana · Others allowed
; release from 31 January of the year after the harvest.
Other varieties allowed
Besides the main grapes, the rules allow these varieties in some wines. Grape names link where a profile exists.
32 varieties · Valdichiana Toscana Bianco/Bianco Vergine, Valdichiana Toscana Frizzante, Valdichiana Toscana Spumante
Albana, Albarola, Ansonica, Biancone, Canaiolo Bianco, Clairette, Durella, Fiano, Greco, Incrocio Bruni 54, Livornese Bianca, Malvasia Bianca Lunga, Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia Istriana, Manzoni Bianco, Marsanne, Muller Thurgau, Muscat Blanc A Petits Grains, Nocchianello Bianco, Orpicchio, Petit Manseng, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Verdea, Verdello, Verdicchio Bianco, Vermentino, Vernaccia di S. Giminiano, Viognier, Welschriesling
35 varieties · Valdichiana Toscana Chardonnay
Albana, Albarola, Ansonica, Biancone, Canaiolo Bianco, Clairette, Durella, Fiano, Grechetto, Greco, Incrocio Bruni 54, Livornese Bianca, Malvasia Bianca Lunga, Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia Istriana, Manzoni Bianco, Marsanne, Muller Thurgau, Muscat Blanc A Petits Grains, Nocchianello Bianco, Orpicchio, Petit Manseng, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Trebbiano Toscano, Verdea, Verdello, Verdicchio Bianco, Vermentino, Vernaccia di S. Giminiano, Viognier, Welschriesling
34 varieties · Valdichiana Toscana Grechetto
Albana, Albarola, Ansonica, Biancone, Canaiolo Bianco, Clairette, Durella, Fiano, Greco, Incrocio Bruni 54, Livornese Bianca, Malvasia Bianca Lunga, Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia Istriana, Manzoni Bianco, Marsanne, Muller Thurgau, Muscat Blanc A Petits Grains, Nocchianello Bianco, Orpicchio, Petit Manseng, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Trebbiano Toscano, Verdea, Verdello, Verdicchio Bianco, Vermentino, Vernaccia di S. Giminiano, Viognier, Welschriesling
54 varieties · Valdichiana Toscana Sangiovese
Alicante, Alicante Bouschet, Ancellotta, Barbera, Barsaglina, Bonamico, Bracciola Nera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Calabrese, Caloria, Canaiolo Nero, Canina Nera, Carignan, Carmenere, Cesanese D Affile, Ciliegiolo, Colombana Nera, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Gamay, Gralima, Grand Noir, Gratena, Groppello Gentile, Groppello di S. Stefano, Lambrusco Maestri, Malbec, Malvasia, Malvasia Nera di Brindisi, Malvasia Nera di Lecce, Mammolo, Mazzese, Merlese, Merlot, Mondeuse, Montepulciano, Moscato D Amburgo, Mourvèdre, Nocchianello Nero, Pinot Noir, Pollera Nera, Prugnolo Gentile, Pugnitello, Rebo, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Roussin, Sagrantino, Sanforte, Schiava Gentile, Syrah, Tempranillo, Teroldego, Vermentino Nero
50 varieties · Valdichiana Toscana Rosso, Valdichiana Toscana Rosato
Alicante, Alicante Bouschet, Ancellotta, Barbera, Barsaglina, Bonamico, Bracciola Nera, Calabrese, Caloria, Canaiolo Nero, Canina Nera, Carignan, Carmenere, Cesanese D Affile, Ciliegiolo, Colombana Nera, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Gamay, Gralima, Grand Noir, Gratena, Groppello Gentile, Groppello di S. Stefano, Lambrusco Maestri, Malbec, Malvasia, Malvasia Nera di Brindisi, Malvasia Nera di Lecce, Mammolo, Mazzese, Merlese, Mondeuse, Montepulciano, Moscato D Amburgo, Mourvèdre, Nocchianello Nero, Pinot Noir, Pollera Nera, Prugnolo Gentile, Pugnitello, Rebo, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Roussin, Sagrantino, Sanforte, Schiava Gentile, Tempranillo, Teroldego, Vermentino Nero
31 varieties · Valdichiana Toscana Vin Santo, Valdichiana Toscana Vin Santo Riserva
Albana, Albarola, Ansonica, Biancone, Canaiolo Bianco, Clairette, Durella, Fiano, Grechetto, Greco, Incrocio Bruni 54, Livornese Bianca, Manzoni Bianco, Marsanne, Muller Thurgau, Muscat Blanc A Petits Grains, Nocchianello Bianco, Orpicchio, Petit Manseng, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Verdea, Verdello, Verdicchio Bianco, Vermentino, Vernaccia di S. Giminiano, Viognier, Welschriesling
In the vineyard and cellar: rules for every wine
3,300
Vines per hectare, minimum
600 m
Highest vineyard allowed
No forcing
Forcing the vines is prohibited
Emergency only
Irrigation
Cellar
Where the wine must be made
Within the production zone
Allowed
Enrichment (chaptalisation)
02 · Climate fingerprint
The climate
The growing season averages 18.4 °C, warm on Gregory Jones's scale, with 1,801 growing degree days (Winkler III).
The average year 1991–2020, vineyards at about 328 m
Monthly mean, °CRain, mmGrowing season
- Growing-season temperature
- 18.4 °C
- Warm · 17–19 °C (Jones)
- Growing degree days
- 1,801
- Region III: 1,667–1,943 degree days
- Growing-season rain
- 488 mm
- Of 906 mm a year
- Harvest rain
- 198 mm
- September–October
Copernicus ERA5-Land monthly averages at 5 vineyard points (Vineyard point 1, 290 m; Vineyard point 2, 261 m; Vineyard point 3, 316 m; Vineyard point 4, 480 m; Vineyard point 5, 293 m), moved to each point's height from the model's terrain. Indices that need daily data are not captured yet. How the climate figures are made.
Lower confidence:Monthly reanalysis in moderately complex terrain; not yet checked against a weather station.
Closest climates in the database
Picked by the data, not by hand: the profiles nearest on season warmth (counted twice), degree days, rain, ripening-month nights and day–night range. Neighbours within 30 km are left out, as they share the same weather.
1. Val d'ArbiaVery similarCompared with Valdichiana toscana: same season warmth, similar rain.
2. Vin Santo del Chianti ClassicoVery similarCompared with Valdichiana toscana: same season warmth, similar rain.
3. Colli MaceratesiVery similarCompared with Valdichiana toscana: same season warmth, similar rain.
Growing-season temperature
Growing degree days
Growing-season rain
03 · Year by year
35 vintages
Each column is one growing season: heat above or below the 1991–2020 average, and rain at harvest. Pick a year for the details.
Warmer than averageCooler than averageHarvest rain (Sep–Oct)Average harvest rain, 198 mm
2025
- Growing-season temp.
- Growing degree days
- Harvest rain
- Growing-season rain
- September nights
- Hot days and frosts
Seasons are labelled by harvest year (April–October). Year-to-year changes from ERA5-Land; tested against station records in Alto Adige (r = 0.94 for season temperature at Bolzano). Rain varies more locally, so treat single-season rain with some caution. Vintage ratings, harvest dates and frost or hail events have places in the data model but are not loaded yet.
04 · Where the numbers come from
Sources
- A geospatial inventory of regulatory information for wine protected designations of origin in Europe · Candiago et al., Scientific Data 9, 394 (2022); Eurac Research · CC0
- Quality wines in Italy and France: a dataset of PDO specifications · figshare 25393261 · CC BY 4.0
- ERA5-Land monthly averaged data (reanalysis-era5-land-monthly-means) · Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), Climate Data Store · CC BY 4.0 (Copernicus licence)
- OpenStreetMap vineyard areas (landuse=vineyard), from Geofabrik country extracts · OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL 1.0
- Copernicus DEM GLO-90 (AWS open data tiles) · European Space Agency / Copernicus · Copernicus DEM licence
- Disciplinare di produzione: Valdichiana toscana (version published by MASAF up to May 2023, via the Internet Archive; later amendments not yet included) · Ministero dell'agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste (MASAF) · Official act
- Appellation nesting worked out from boundaries (pipeline/build_nesting.py) · Vinous, from the Eurac PDO boundaries · CC0 (source data)
- Climate profiles calculated by Vinous: method
Still to check (3)
- Generated from EU reference data: check against the current product specification.
- From the specification: Maximum grape yield is 11 t/ha for red grapes and 12 t/ha for white; the rosato is assigned the red-grape figure. Vin Santo may be secco or amabile (sweetness null; total acidity 4.5 g/l secco, 5.0 g/l amabile), grapes dried to at least 26% sugar and pressed 1 December to 31 March; frizzante and spumante range from asciutto to leggermente amabile with no method stated. Vinification is also allowed across the provinces of Arezzo and Siena.
- National tier (DOC/DOCG) not captured yet; rules extracted from the specification text.