When the wine bug first bit me, it was the growing regions of Italy that first caught my attention. More specifically, it was the quality and complexity of Sangiovese that truly had me floored.

The thin-skinned Sangiovese is the main red grape of Tuscany and is, alongside Nebbiolo and Aglianico, one of the great indigenous red grapes of Italy. While the varietal thrives in many Tuscan appellations, such as Chianti, Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano, and Montecucco Sangiovese, it is Brunello di Montalcino that exhibits Sangiovese’s most powerful expression.

The nearly square hill of Montalcino, which overlaps Chianti Senesi in the province of Siena, is in the southern reaches of Tuscany and encompasses 24,000 hectares—although only around 5,000 acres are authorized and planted for Brunello.

Brunello di Montalcino is produced from 100% Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello) and aged in cask for a minimum two years. The wine is kept in bottle for an additional four months—six months for riserva, and may not be released until January 1st of the fifth year following harvest, or until the sixth year for riserva bottlings.

In prime vintages, a well-aged bottle of Brunello can reach ethereal heights. The wine can often exhibit aromatics and flavors of dried red fruits such as sour cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and red currant. There are also secondary notes of sundried tomato, dried flowers, and potpourri. Hints of clove, smoke, and coffee spices can show up in wines aged in small oak barrels.

Rosso di Montalcino (“Baby Brunello,” as I like to call it) is produced in the same delimited region from 100% Sangiovese. The wines must be aged for one year prior to release, although cask aging is not required. These wines are often consumed on a more regular basis as they are moderately priced but still deliver in terms of quality and satisfaction.

One of the most consistent producers that I have always looked to as a benchmark for the region is Caparzo. The history of this property dates back to the end of the 1960s at the dawning of Brunello di Montalcino, when a group of friends, fond of Tuscany and wine, purchased an old ruin with vineyards at Montalcino. The farm estate was renovated, modernized, and new vineyards were planted. In a short time, Caparzo made itself known in the Brunello market as a producer of wines that exhibit both high levels of quality and age-worthiness.

In 1998, 30 years after the first rows of vines were planted, the farm estate came to a turning point when Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini purchased Caparzo. With the help of her son, Igino, and daughter, Alessandra, she immediately carried out her objective: combining tradition with innovation to create a high-quality wine that is the expression of an excellent territory.

The Caparzo estate covers an overall surface area of 494 acres (223 planted to vines) on all sides of the hill of Montalcino in the best areas of the DOCG. Their vineyards range in altitude from 720-985 feet and are composed of various soil types, including marl, sandy-stone, sandy-clay, and shale-clay.

Caparzo winemaker Massimo Bracalente produces a range of wines including the classic Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Riserva DOCG, and Rosso di Montalcino DOC.

It is my honor and pleasure today to be able to bring you a lineup of 3 Caparzo wines – 2015 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, 2016 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino La Casa (produced from one of the finest single vineyards in the Montalcino region), and 2019 Caparzo Rosso di Montalcino (Baby Brunello).

I am requesting a 3-bottle minimum order today and so feel free to mix and match as you please.

As always, please feel free to let me know if you have any questions and thank you for your support.

Cheers!

Carey Vanderborg - Wine Director

Caparzo, Brunello di Montalcino, Riserva 2015: $105

Caparzo, Brunello di Montalcino, La Casa 2016: $90

Caparzo, Rosso di Montalcino 2019: $25

Click here for more information about the wines.