Over the years, Fattoria Le Bonille has seen its holdings grow, starting with the first settlement in Greti, moving through Montefioralle, and finally reaching Olmastrino.
The lands of Le Bonille, the company’s first historical settlement, are located in the Greti area, to the east of the Greve River (eastern part), north of the town of Greve. The soil here is characterized by the so-called “Chianti sandstone,” also commonly known as “pietra serena.”
This stone is a type of sandstone, rich in sand and silt, and thanks to the action of the weathering agents, it crumbles and releases mineral elements, which help in the production of wines that are extremely fine and elegant. The pH is neutral to slightly acidic.
The Montefioralle estate, a unique location, is situated near the eponymous ancient medieval village, just above the town center of Greve in Chianti. It is located to the west of the Greve River (western part) and is geographically derived from the marly limestone group of San Pietro a Sillano. The altitude ranges from 250 to 500 meters above sea level.
The soils, rich in skeleton, are mostly composed of marly limestone substrates (alberese), with a localized presence of clayey schists (galestro). The most common stone is alberese, which varies in color from light to darker shades depending on the presence of minerals and elements other than calcium. This stone, very hard, gradually breaks down and releases minerals and elements into the soil, which are then found in the wines, making them structured, flavorful, and long-lived.
The Olmastrino estate, the most recent acquisition but the largest in terms of size, is located to the north of the town of Greve, near the Colle di Spedaluzzo, which faces toward the village of Chiocchio.
This area had already been identified by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III, in 1716 when he established the boundaries of Chianti, stating the following: “For Chianti, it has been determined and shall remain as follows: From Spedaluzzo to Greve; from there to Panzano, including the entire Podesteria of Radda, which contains three thirds, namely Radda, Gajole, and Castellina, reaching the border of the State of Siena.”.
The soils are characterized by a clear predominance of calcareous schist claystones, with a strong prevalence of Galestro in the higher part of the estate. In the central and southern parts, the soils are deeper, with Palomino clays, which is why the stones in the area are referred to as Colombino. These soils are very well suited to Sangiovese and also to international varieties such as Merlot and Syrah, which we have decided to plant in these lands.
These soils result in wines with a significant and firm tannic structure, sometimes austere and other times velvety, depending on the vintage. They benefit from long aging, both in wood and in concrete or other porous materials that allow for oxygenation, before reaching their balance in the bottle.
