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CAPEZZANA

TUSCANY

CAPEZZANA

TUSCANY



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ABOUT THE WINERY

Few wineries in the world possess the stature, respect and devotion that the Contini Bonacossi family has cultivated and maintained over five generations with their Tenuta di Capezzana winery. The estate is located 12 miles west of Florence in the Carmignano sub-zone, one of the oldest recognized wine producing areas in Tuscany. Ancient Etruscan artifacts have shown that grapevines were cultivated in the area for wine production over 3,000 years ago. The first reference to Capezzana dates to 804 A.D.  An ancient parchment stored at the Florentine state archives shows the granting of a lease of vineyards and olive groves for the cultivation of wine and olive oil to a place called Capezzana.

Over the centuries, the estate passed through several families. But the story of today’s Capezzana started when the Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi and his family returned to Italy after living in Spain and purchased the estate from Raimondo Franchetti’s widow, Sara de Rothschild, in 1920.  Not content with this original holding, Count Alessandro acquired the two neighboring farms, “The Poggetto” and “Trefiano,” dividing the property into three distinct estates with more than 120 poderi. The winery was dedicated to the production of high-quality wine and olive oil with the first vintage of Villa di Capezzana in 1925. 

Augusto, Alessandro’s son, took over the management of the estate and in 1945, his son, Ugo, joined him. Ugo had completed a degree in Agriculture before heading to the War, and he was devoted to increasing the quality of the family’s wines – a notable endeavor during a time when most producers were still selling their grapes by weight. It was Ugo’s vision that gradually moved the estate away from sharecropping towards a modern-day winery. 

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WINERY LOCATION: TUSCANY
WINE REGIONS: Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC, Carmignano DOCG, Toscana IGT
VINEYARD LAND: 197 acres (80 ha) Estate: 670 acres (271 ha)
FARMING PRACTICES: Certified Organic
GRAPE VARIETIES: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Canaiolo, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Trebbiano, San Colombano
WINE STYLES: Dry red still, Dry Rosato, Sweet still
TOTAL WINE PRODUCTION: 400,000 - 450,000 bottles per year
YEAR FOUNDED: 804
OWNER(S): Contini Bonacossi Family
WINEMAKER(S): Benedetta Contini Bonacossi

WINES

TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA BARCO REALE DI CARMIGNANO DOC

Named after the historic Medici property known as "Barco Reale" - meaning Royal Property - which was established in 1626. Today Sangiovese, Cabernet and Canaiolo grow in this ancient area that was a hunting preserve surrounded by walls over 30 miles long.  Barco Reale is a younger version of Carmignano that received DOC status in 1994.

TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA VILLA DI CAPEZZANA DI CARMIGNANO DOCG

With vintages dating back to 1925 in their cellar, Villa di Capezzana is the flagship wine of the Tenuta di Capezzana estate and representative of Carmignano's greatest quality. Created as one of the very first protected wine-producing regions in Italy, the history of Carmignano dates back to 1716 when Cosimo III de' Medici granted the area special legal protections which prohibited other regions from using the name "Carmignano" for their wines.  

TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA TREFIANO CARMIGNANO DOCG RISERVA

Made in only the best vintages, the grapes for the Trefiano Carmignano Riserva come from five hectares of vineyards that surround the historic Villa di Trefiano located in the Carmignano DOCG.  Belonging to the Rucellai family, construction on the Villa was started in the 15th century.  The family lost favor with the Tuscan Grand Dukes shortly thereafter and were sent into exile and the Villa was never finished.  In the early 1920's the Conti Bonacossi family bought the Villa and finally completed its construction.

TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA GHIAIE DELLA FURBA TOSCANA IGT

In 1979 Ugo Conti Bonacossi created Ghiaie della Furba from vineyards planted among the pebble (Ghiaie) rich soils of the Furba stream.  Originally planted with clippings from the famed Chateau Lafite estate in Bordeaux, the wine was made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot until the blend was changed in 1998 with the addition of Syrah.  The inclusion of Cabernet Franc was slowly discontinued and today the blend includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah and is made only in the best vintages.  

TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA "VIN RUSPO" ROSATO DI CARMIGNANO DOC

Rosato di Carmignano DOC has its origins in the ancient tradition of sharecropping. Farmers were known to siphon off or “ruspare” a quantity of the landowner’s pooled grape must for their own consumption. As the must would be taken in the early stages of fermentation, it was only lightly colored. Today it is still the brief contact with the skins that gives this wine its beautiful pink color. The Capezzana Vin Ruspo made with Sangiovese, Cabernet and Canaiolo, is both vibrant and elegant.

TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA VIN SANTO DI CARMIGNANO DOC RISERVA

This exceptional dessert or ‘meditation’ wine is made from selected white grapes, mainly Trebbiano, which are dried for several months in the traditional manner on cane matting. The must is then fermented and matured for over six years in cherry wood, oak and chestnut kegs. The yield is very low: from 1/4 to 1/5 of the original weight of the grapes. Small production. 

LOCATION


WINERY:
Carmignano, Prato, Tuscany

VINEYARD:
Carmignano, Tuscany

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NEWS AND REVIEWS FROM OUR FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY



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94
FEBRUARY 2023
Tenuta di Capezzana Villa di Capezzana di Carmignano DOCG 2013

The library release 2013 Carmignano Villa di Capezzana Dieci Anni is a total pleasure on the nose, finely detailed with rich plum sauce and crushed cherry notes complicated by flowery underbrush, mint and old cedar spice box hints. It's supple and silky on the palate, with juicy acidity enlivening its ripe red fruits as a flourish of rosy inner florals and cedar evolve toward the close. While still lightly structured with adolescent tannins, the 2013 is so enjoyable today, tapering off with licorice and confectionary spice echoing that linger on and on. There's no harm in cracking open bottles today or losing them in the cellar to enjoy over the next decade.

92
OCTOBER 2016
Tenuta di Capezzana Villa di Capezzana di Carmignano DOCG 2012

The 2012 Carmignano Villa di Capezzana is soft, radiant and open-knit, all of which give considerable appeal today. There is good brightness and intensity to the fruit, along with lovely aromatic top notes of cedar, smoke, licorice and tobacco. Given its mid-weight structure, the 2012 is likely to offer its best drinking sooner rather than later. There is no reason to delay gratification in this impeccable, beautifully crafted Carmignano from Capezzana.

90
FEBRUARY 2023
Tenuta di Capezzana Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC Riserva 2015

While Contini Bonacossi took ownership of this estate in 1920, it has been in production since antiquity. That's a long time to hone your skills. The Bonacossi family is carrying the legacy and tradition of this estate into the future with a wide range of wines, including this lovely Vin Santo. With notes of soft caramel on the nose and a luscious butterscotch palate balanced by natural acidity, this wine is legit. Paired with some local cheese and it's sure to hit the spot.

17.5
DECEMBER 2022
Tenuta di Capezzana Villa di Capezzana di Carmignano DOCG 2012

Developed ruby with a brownish tinge. Rich, dark fruit on the nose. Peppery and deep with hints of tobacco and orange. This has clearly some age to it, but it is just beginning to reach its peak. Suave, deep, supple fruit with Sangiovese tanginess, while the Cabernet component has a savoury blackcurrant quality to it but poised, rather than upfront. Peppery dark-fruit finish with sandpapery tannins. Not just another Cabernet blend, this has class as well as a personality all of its own and age has resulted in a superb balance between fruit, tannins and acidity and complexity. This will continue to develop for quite a few years.

92
FEBRUARY 2023
Tenuta di Capezzana Villa di Capezzana di Carmignano DOCG 2019

The 2019 Carmignano Villa di Capezzana is youthfully poised with dusty rose, dried black cherries and a burnt orange zest forming its bouquet. This washes across the palate with silky textures and ripe red fruits, gaining tension through a mix of saline-tinged acidity and sour citrus notes. Its tannins come on strong through the finale, coupled with a saturation of primary concentration and mineral tones as petty inner florals slowly fade. The 2019 is packed full of potential but will require patience.

96
DECEMBER 2020
Tenuta di Capezzana Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC Riserva 2012

What a beauty. The Tenuta di Capezzana 2012 Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva (packaged in a 375-milliliter bottle) inches forth from the tiny bottle slowly and ultimately reveals a spectacular color that is orange, copper and almost green at the same time. I tasted bottle number 962 of a precious 4,968 produced. This Vin Santo puts on a real show thanks to its rich viscosity that slides, shifts and glistens in the glass. There are many aromas to describe, and it is hard to do this wine justice given how quickly they shift and change. There is honey, brown sugar, dried herb, forest mushroom, caramel and tilled earth. I even got a hint of rubber boot. This is a work of art and a clear passion project. Assigning a numerical score to an aspirational wine like this somehow misses the point, but here goes nothing.

90
FEBRUARY 2023
Tenuta di Capezzana Ghiaie della Furba Toscana IGT 2018

The 2018 Ghiaie della Furba is darkly floral and dusty in character with musky plum skins, dried violets and camphor hints. It gains in both volume and depth with each moment that passes. The textures are cool-toned and silky with a pure mix of red fruits and inner herbal tones, stepping lightly yet leaving a lasting impression. Grippy tannins linger through the finish and add a pleasantly poised and dry sensation while maintaining great freshness. That said, the 2018 doesn’t have the bones for long-term aging. The Ghiaie Della Furba is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 30% Syrah.

96
FEBRUARY 2022
Tenuta di Capezzana Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC Riserva 2014

The 2014 Vinsanto Riserva is a dark amber color in the glass. Spiced orange peels, dusty dried flowers, cloves and baked pears follow a mesmerizing mix of shaved cedar and pine. Frankly, there’s something new each time I return to the glass. This floods the palate with ample weight while showing a sweet and sour mix of vanilla custards, toffee, candied citrus and salted almond, which adds amazing contrasts. This lingers impossibly long yet incredibly fresh, repleting its aromatics throughout as hints of hazelnut and cocoa fade. The 2014 Vinsanto Riserva makes for a fantastic wine experience that should not be missed.