Verona, Italy was the last stop on my recent wine press trip organized by Frederica Schir. That night we tasted a number of wines and I was really impressed by the six wines from Azienda Agricola Podere Il Castellaccio
Podere Il Castellaccio is situated in Castagneto Carducci, in the Livorno area of Tuscany. Alessandro Scappini founded the winery in 2009, but the estate has belonged to his family since the 1960s. The estate is situated in the hills along the Costa degli Etruschi at an altitude of 100-160 meters above sea level in Bolgheri. The property faces the sea and enjoys a sea breeze all year, resulting in a Mediterranean microclimate that is ideal for viticulture.
The vineyards occupy 3.5 hectares and have an average age of 40 years. The older vineyards, occupying more than 2 hectares are planted with Tuscan native grape varieties: Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Foglia Tonda and Pugnitello. In 2014 almost a hectare of Cabernet Franc was planted and this vineyard is sited on a steep hillside terrace. The plants are bush-trained and certain activities, like tilling the soil, are carried out using a horse. Another vineyard of a hectare is planned, where native wine varieties will be planted. The winery is organic certified and its next aim is to become biodynamic.
The Wines of IL Castellaccio
IGT Toscana “Dimostro” Made from 100% organic Sangiovese grapes. The vineyard is at 160 meters with a north south exposure. The soil is schist and galestro. There are 5,000 plants per hectare and the training system is spur pruning. Average age of vineyards is 50 years. Harvest is from the end of September to the beginning of October. Fermentation (with the addition of 5% grape stalks) takes place by means of indigenous yeasts in Slovonian oak barrels with a maceration on the skins of about two weeks. After racking the wine is kept in oak barrels. The wine then remains in the bottle for 6 months before release. The wine has hints of red fruit, small berries and spice. $22
GT Toscana” Vaénte” made from Sangiovese, Pugnitello and Fogliatonda. Each grape variety is fermented separately using indigenous yeasts in Slovonian oak barrels with maceration on the skins for two weeks. After racking and blending, the wine ages in oak barrels for 12 months then in bottle until release. They use Diam cork (supercritical carbon dioxide to remove TCA). The wine has hints of vanilla, spices, sour cherry, black currants, balsamic notes and a touch of pine. $26
Bolgheri DOC Orio made from Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. The vineyard is at 140 meters and the average age of the vines is 10 to 20 years. Harvest is in September. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 20 days. There is spontaneous malolactic fermentation during the aging. The wine ages in French oak barriques for 12 months and in bottle for 6 months before release. The wine has hints of dark berry fruit, ripe red fruit, vanilla and a note of oriental spices. $25
IGT Toscana Somatico made from 100% Pugnitello The vines are 50 years old and the training system is guyot pruning. Harvest is in the beginning of October. The average age of the vines is 50 years. Harvest is in the beginning of October. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts and in cement tanks with a maceration on the skins for about two weeks. Aging is in cement tanks for 12 months and another 12 months in bottle before release.
Bolgheri Superiore DOC Il Castellaccio made from Cabernet Franc and Pugnitello. The vineyard is at 160 meters and the average age of the vines is 7/25 years. Harvest is at the end of September. Fermentation is with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature with maceration on the skins from 45 to 50 days. After racking the wine is kept in French oak barriques for 12 months and in amphorae of ceramic composition for another 12 months. Then the wine remains in bottle for at least 6 months. This is a wine that will age for 20 years or more. It is full bodied with hints of cherries, cooked plums and a note of cinnamon. $31
IGT Toscana “Ardiglione” 100% Vermentino. The vineyard is at 100 meters and the harvest is in the beginning of October. The average age of the vines is 15/20 years. Harvest is at the end of September. The bunches are hand picked and destemmed then crushed and pressed. The must is slowly decanted at a low temperature and fermented in steel tanks at a controlled temperature with selected yeasts. A small selection of bunches first undergoes cryomaceration and then is fermented in French oak barriques where it matures on the lees until it is blended with the wine in stainless steel. It is aged on the lees for four months, assembled in barriques, filtered and bottled by the September following the harvest. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, yellow flowers and sweet spices.$23
It was a fitting ending to an enjoyable and interesting wine trip. $24
Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2018 Riserva made from 100% Sangiovese Tenuta Di Nozzole. The estate is located in the village of Greve in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. The vineyard is at
Insoglio del Cinghiale Toscana IGT 2019 made from 33% Syrah, 14% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015 made from 100% Sangiovese. Silvio Nardi. This Brunello is a blend of the finest grapes from the Manachiara and Castel del Bosco estates with a northwest and southeast exposure at 350 meters. The soil is a composition of jasper and shale. The grapes are hand picked and sorted and only 70% of the grapes are used to make the wine. Fermentation and maceration takes at least 24 hours, depending on the parcel, at a controlled temperature. The wine is aged for 12 months in new and used Allier French oak barriques and then for 18 months in large Slavonian oak barrels. Then it remains in the bottle for 12 months before release. This is a full bodied wine with hints of red berries, leather, tobacco and a touch of spice.
Chianti Classico 2019 Lilliano made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. After the quality-selected clusters are destemmed and pressed, the must is fermented and macerated in stainless steel for 18-20 days at a controlled temperature with programmed punch-downs and daily pumpovers. Maceration fermentation takes place in concrete and small stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 18-20 days depending on the vintage. The wine ages for about 12 to 14 months in large casks of French oak and partly in concrete. After maturation, the final blend is assembled, bottled and aged in glass for a minimum of 3 months. This is a wine with hints of red fruit, cherry, violets and a touch of cassis.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione D.O.C.G.”Vigna di Corno”
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2015 Cecchi made mostly from
Carmignano 2017 Capezzana by Contini Bonaccossi Villa di Capezzana. Made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The elevation is 180/220 meters and the soil is clay, limestone, schist and marl. The age of the vines is 20/40 years and the training system is guyot cordon spur. There are 4,500 vines per hectare and they use organic farming practices. Fermentation is with native indigenous yeast. There is a 13 day extended maceration period. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French tonneaux. Aging: 60% in 2nd and 3rd or 4th passage French oak tonneaux, 10% in new French oak tonneaux and 30% in 5/30 year old untoasted Allier or Slavonian 24 HL barrels for 12 months. The wine is aged for another 12 months in bottle before release. This is an elegant wine with hints of red berries with a note of blueberries and a touch of violets. I have a long history with this estate going back 40 years. This is a wine that can age. In 1985 I had the 1925 which at the time was labeled Chianti Montalbano.
Bruno di Rocca IGT Colli Toscana Centrale 2015 Montefili made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Sangiovese from vineyards planted in the early 1980’s. The soil is galestro and the training system is spurred cordon. Vinification is in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeast. Aging for a minimum of 28 months in tonneaux for the Sangiovese and for the Cabernet Sauvignon in barriques (350 liters). The wine spends a minimum of 12 months in bottle before release. It is difficult to make this type of wine where the Cabernet Sauvignon does not dominate but this is a soft elegant wine.
Chianti Colli Senesi 2017 “San Nicola”
Chianti Montalbano 2019 Artimino 1596 made from Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino. The vineyards are at 110 meters and the soil is silt and sand with a good percentage of clay. Guyot is the training system for the older vineyards and the rest cordon spur. The gapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 22°C for 16 /18 days with a daily skin maceration process and frequent pumping of the must over the skins. After the first fermentation, the wine matures in stainless steel tanks for at least 6 months, 2 of which are on the lees. The wine is then refined in bottles for 3 months. The wine has hints of red berries and violets.
Chianti Colli Fiorentino Darno Tenuta San Vito made from 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo. Harvest takes place in October. Traditional red wine vinification with 10 to 15 day maceration on the skins with daily pumperovers for several days followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged in glass lined tanks and stainless steel followed by some bottle aging. The wine has hints of red berries, cherries and violets.
Castello di Mugazzena “Gargatura” IGT Toscana 2017 made from 100% Syrah. The soil is clayey sandy terraced alluvial deposits. Training system is unilateral spurred cordon. Manual harvest. Grapes are destemmed and sorted. The grapes are pressed and then pumped into
After the wine tasting, we enjoyed a lunch of many of the classic dishes of the region. One of the courses was 
Chianti Classico 2019 Castello La Leccia made from 100% Sangiovese. The vineyards are at 350 to 500 meters, soil is clay, silt sand, schistous clay and alberese. There are 4,500/ 5,200 vines per hectare and the vines are 9 to 15 years old. There is a south/southwest exposure and the training system is guyot. Harvest is manual in September/October and there is a selection in the vineyard. Destemmed grapes are gently crushed and transferred to steel thanks which are temperature controlled. There is a pre-fermentation cryomaceration for 24 hours followed by the alcoholic fermentation with short and frequent pumping over. Maceration lasts for 10 to 12 days. After racking, malolactic fermentation and maturation is in concrete tanks. The wine remains for 12 months in French and Austrian oak barrels of 2,000 to 2,500 liters. The wine has hints of red fruit, cherry, and violets.
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Chianti Classico 2019 DOCG “L’Aura” Querceto di Castellina made from 100% Sangiovese. Harvest is by hand and the winery is certified organic. The wine spends 12 months in 500 liter French oak barrels and three months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of ripe red fruit, cherries, rasperries, herbal notes and a touch of bayleaf.
Taurasi 2016 DOCG Villa Matilde made from 100% Aglianico. The vineyard is at 350 meters and the training system is simple guyot with about 6 buds per plant. There are 3,000 vines per hectare and the soil is tufaceous with a good percentage of clay. Harvest is the third week of October. The grape bunches are destemmed
Neroossidiana Terre Siciliane Rosso 2017 IGT Tenuta di Castelaro Production area the Lipari Islands (Aeolian Islands) made from 90% Corinto Nero
Beconcini “IXE” The name is the Tuscan pronunciation for the letter X. The letter X stands for unknown vines. In the early 1950’s, 213 vines of unknown species were found in the vineyard which were called X vines. With help from the Ministry of Agriculture these vines were declared to be Tempranillo a few years ago. In June of 2009, Tempranillo was enrolled in the Tuscan register. As far as I know Tempranillo was never cultivated before in Italy.
