If you love wine, maps, and a good armchair adventure, pour yourself a generous glass and settle in, dear. We’re going on a grand tour of Chianti Classico—through its vineyards, villages, and those mysterious little initials: UGA. Think of this as a culinary atlas for your wine glass, with each sip a new page.

Why Chianti Classico Deserves Its Own Atlas

For years, many people thought of Chianti as that simple red in a straw-covered bottle next to the pizza. But Chianti Classico is an entirely different creature—more like a well-braised boeuf bourguignon than a hastily thrown-together stew. It’s the historic heartland in Tuscany, with centuries of viticultural tradition, layered soils, and a glorious patchwork of hills and valleys.

And now, with the introduction of UGA (Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive – Additional Geographical Units), Chianti Classico has essentially been given its own internal atlas. These UGAs are like named “neighborhoods” of the appellation, each with its own character. If you’ve ever wanted to understand why one Chianti Classico tastes like bright cherries and violets and another like dark plums and forest floor, this is the key.

A Quick Refresher: What Makes Chianti Classico “Classico”?

Before we go gallivanting through the UGAs, we need our mise en place—our basic definitions in order.

That last point is where our atlas really begins.

What on Earth Is a UGA?

UGA stands for Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive, which we might cheerfully translate as “additional geographic units.” They are officially recognized subzones within Chianti Classico, meant to express terroir—that magical combination of soil, climate, altitude, and human tradition.

Think of UGAs like named villages or crus in Burgundy. They don’t change the basic rules of Chianti Classico, but they add a layer of precision. Instead of saying, “I’m drinking Chianti Classico,” you can say, “I’m drinking Chianti Classico Gran Selezione from Radda,” and that starts to mean something specific about what’s in your glass.

At the moment, the UGAs are officially used on labels only for Gran Selezione, but they’re conceptually helpful for understanding the entire region.

The Chianti Classico UGAs: A Tour Through the Glass

There are eleven UGAs currently recognized. Imagine them as eleven different kitchens, each cooking with Sangiovese but with its own pantry and style.

1. San Casciano

Way up in the northwest, closest to Florence, San Casciano is like the welcoming front porch of Chianti Classico.

• Altitude & Climate: Moderate elevations, relatively mild climate.
• Soils: Mixed—some alluvial deposits, some clay, some limestone.
• Typical Style:
  • Fragrant red fruit (cherries, red currants).
  • Softer, more rounded tannins.
  • Friendly, approachable; a lovely “introductory” Chianti Classico.

If Chianti Classico were a dinner party, San Casciano would pour the first glass and make sure everyone feels at home.

2. Greve

Just south of San Casciano, Greve stretches from lower, warmer valleys up into cooler, higher hills.

• Altitude: Quite varied, from lower slopes to higher vineyards.
• Soils: A mosaic—galestro (crumbly marl), alberese (limestone), and others.
• Typical Style:
  • Versatile and diverse, but often:
  • Bright cherry and floral notes.
  • Medium body, balanced structure.

Greve is a bit like a well-stocked pantry: a little of everything, and often very well done.

3. Montefioralle

Within the broader Greve area lies the tiny, picturesque Montefioralle, now its own UGA.

• Altitude: Generally higher, hillside vineyards.
• Soils: Stony, with good drainage.
• Typical Style:
  • More tension and minerality.
  • Firm structure, vivid acidity.
  • Red fruit with a slightly more austere, “serious” edge.

If you like your wines a bit more chiseled and architectural, Montefioralle is marvelous.

4. Panzano

Further south, perched on a ridge, is Panzano, home to the famed “Conca d’Oro” (Golden Basin), a natural amphitheater of vineyards.

• Altitude: Often quite high; many vineyards above 400 m.
• Soils: Rich in galestro and alberese—ideal for Sangiovese.
• Typical Style:
  • Intense, ripe red and black cherry.
  • Full-bodied, but with a beautiful spine of acidity.
  • Polished tannins; powerful yet elegant.

Panzano is like a slow-simmered ragù—concentrated, layered, and deeply satisfying.

5. Radda

Move east and upward, and you reach Radda, one of the coolest, highest parts of Chianti Classico.

• Altitude: Among the highest in the region, often 500–600 m.
• Climate: Cool nights, long ripening season.
• Soils: Stony, with lots of alberese and galestro.
• Typical Style:
  • Very fresh, high-toned red fruit (sour cherry, cranberry).
  • Pronounced acidity; firm, sometimes racy structure.
  • Floral and herbal notes; great aging potential.

Radda is the ballerina of Chianti Classico—poised, energetic, and wonderfully precise.

6. Gaiole

To the southeast of Radda lies Gaiole, a historic commune with castles, forests, and scattered vineyards.

• Altitude: Varied, often mid-to-high hills.
• Soils: Mixed, but often rocky and well-drained.
• Typical Style:
  • Darker fruit tones (black cherry, plum).
  • Earthy, savory, sometimes gamey nuances.
  • Structured, with robust tannins.

Gaiole can feel a bit wilder and more rustic—in the best, most charming countryside sense.

7. Castellina

Heading westward, we come to Castellina, which forms part of the central spine of Chianti Classico.

• Altitude: Mid to high, with rolling hills.
• Soils: A classic Tuscan mix of galestro and alberese.
• Typical Style:
  • Juicy cherry and berry fruit.
  • Balanced acidity and tannin.
  • Often very “classic” Chianti Classico: neither too lean nor too opulent.

If you want a textbook example of what Chianti Classico is all about, Castellina is an excellent place to start.

8. Castelnuovo Berardenga

To the southeast, closer to Siena, is Castelnuovo Berardenga, where the landscape starts to feel a bit more open and sun-drenched.

• Altitude: Generally lower than Radda or Gaiole, with warmer exposures.
• Climate: Warmer, with more Mediterranean influence.
• Soils: Clay-limestone, with areas of sand and marl.
• Typical Style:
  • Riper, darker fruit—black cherry, plum, sometimes a hint of chocolate.
  • Fuller-bodied, more generous.
  • Softer acidity but still structured.

Think of Castelnuovo Berardenga as the rich, slow-cooked Tuscan stew of the group—comforting, warm, and expansive.

9. Vagliagli

Within the broader Berardenga area sits Vagliagli, now recognized separately.

• Altitude: Rolling hills, moderate elevations.
• Soils: Mixed, but often with good limestone content.
• Typical Style:
  • A bridge between freshness and richness.
  • Ripe fruit but lifted by good acidity.
  • Often quite approachable yet ageworthy.

If Berardenga is a hearty main course, Vagliagli can be the refined version—same ingredients, with a slightly more delicate hand.

10. Lamole

High above Greve, almost in the clouds, lies Lamole, one of the loftiest and most distinctive UGAs.

• Altitude: Very high—often 500–600 m or more.
• Climate: Cool, with slow, even ripening.
• Soils: Poor, stony, with lots of sand and rock.
• Typical Style:
  • Very aromatic: violets, roses, wild herbs.
  • Light to medium body, but with terrific tension.
  • Fine, silky tannins; almost Burgundian in elegance.

Lamole is like a fine chiffon cake of Sangiovese—airy, perfumed, and utterly charming.

11. San Donato in Poggio

Finally, between Florence and Siena, we have San Donato in Poggio, a sort of northern–central hinge of the appellation.

• Altitude: Moderate to high.
• Soils: Classic Tuscan mix, with good limestone presence.
• Typical Style:
  • Balanced and harmonious; red fruit with a touch of spice.
  • Medium body, well-knit tannins.
  • Often very “complete” wines without extremes.

San Donato in Poggio is like a beautifully composed plate—everything in proportion, nothing shouting, everything singing together.

How to Use the UGA “Atlas” When You’re Drinking

Now, how do you bring all this into the kitchen, so to speak?

1. Start with the Label

On Gran Selezione bottles, look for:

• “Chianti Classico Gran Selezione”
• The UGA name: Radda, Gaiole, Panzano, etc.
• The Black Rooster seal

Knowing the UGA gives you a hint about the style before you even pull the cork.

2. Match Style to Mood and Food

• Lighter, high-acid UGAs (Radda, Lamole, Montefioralle):

  • Pair with dishes that have tomatoes, herbs, and a bit of tang—like tomato-based pastas, grilled vegetables, or roast chicken with lemon and thyme.

• (Castelnuovo Berardenga, and some parts of Greve and Vagliagli):

3. Taste Comparatively

If you really want to feel like an explorer with your atlas:

• Open two or three Chianti Classico (or ideally Gran Selezione) from different UGAs side by side.
• Taste them with the same food.
• Notice:
  • Fruit profile (red vs. black, bright vs. ripe)
  • Acidity (mouthwatering vs. softer)
  • Tannins (fine vs. grippy)
  • Aromas (floral, herbal, earthy, spicy)

You’ll begin to sense the “accent” each UGA speaks with, like hearing different regional dialects of the same language.

The Philosophical Deliciousness of UGAs

Underneath all this geography and labeling is a deeper idea: wine as a reflection of place. The UGA system is Chianti Classico’s way of saying, “We are not just one big red wine; we are many voices in one choir.”

• It celebrates diversity within unity.
• It encourages growers to lean into what their specific hills and soils do best.
• It invites drinkers to move from generic categories (“I like Chianti”) to more nuanced appreciation (“I love the tension of Radda and the perfume of Lamole”).

It’s rather like discovering that “French cooking” is not one thing, but a tapestry of regional cuisines—Burgundy, Provence, Brittany, and so on. Once you see it, you can’t go back.

Bringing Chianti Classico’s Atlas to Your Table

So, how do you make all of this more than just a lovely mental map?

1. Seek Out Different UGAs
   Next time you shop, look for the UGA on Gran Selezione labels. Ask your merchant for bottles from Radda, Gaiole, Panzano, or Lamole, and compare.

A Final Toast to the Hills of Chianti

Chianti Classico is no longer just a name on a label; it’s a landscape of eleven distinct “kitchens,” each seasoning Sangiovese in its own way. The UGA system turns the region into a readable atlas, allowing you to travel from the airy heights of Lamole to the sun-kissed slopes of Castelnuovo Berardenga without leaving your dining room.

So uncork a bottle, glance at that UGA, and imagine the hillside it came from—the soil under the vines, the breeze that cooled the grapes, the hands that harvested them. Then raise your glass and taste not just a wine, but a place.

Bon appétit—and buon vino!