The hilltop town of Montalcino has existed in some capacity since Etruscan times, and the area grew to prominence in the Medieval area as it lies along the via Francigena, a pilgrimage route that connected northern Europe as far as Canterbury, England to Rome and on to Puglia, if one were inclined to board a ship to fight in the Crusades. With the advent of railroads and motorways, the town became more of a backwater until the 1950s, when the modern winegrowing landscape began to emerge. Despite this more recent entry into the wine world, Brunello di Montalcino is today considered one of the great wines of Italy, one of the first to attain the revered DOCG status.
As a relatively young region, it’s no surprise to learn that Montalcino is still uncovering much of its great potential. The discussion is no longer as simple as talking about the more powerful Brunello clone of the Sangiovese grape, or the warmer and drier climes of Montalcino compared to the cooler, rainier Chianti Classico region twenty-five miles to the north. There is increasingly an understanding of the differences between north and south, east and west; of the perfumed, elegant expressions of the north, of the powerful, dense wines of the south. Driving along winding roads, you can climb to heights of more than 2,000 feet, or as low as the valleys, at 400 feet above sea level, seeing the differences in the vegetation as you move between the small communes surrounding the central town of Montalcino.
Few producers are positioned to explore these nuances as well as Tenuta Caparzo. While the winery itself it located in the northeastern sector near the town of Buonconvento, the Angelini family owns land in different subzones: 275 acres of vineyard land across the hillsides of the Montalcino growing area, with varying exposures and microclimates.
Their Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Riserva Brunello di Montalcino DOCG pull from across these sites, the latter a selection of the best grapes from across the area, according to the vintage – a snapshot of the best this warm Tuscan region can produce. The single-vineyard wines, instead, provide a glimpse into the unique aspects of their individual sites, with their varying soil profiles, elevations, and slopes. Of these, the Vigna La Casa from the renowned hillside of Montosoli, with its soils of schist and clay, is one of Montalcino's grand crus. Meaning the “sunny hill,” it is one of the best subzones for wine in all of the region, certainly the best known, and Caparzo was one of the first to bottle its fruit as a single-vineyard wine back in 1977. At 900 feet, this 12-acre parcel is elevated above the potential risks of mist and frosts, and its south-southeastern exposure ensure warm, even ripening in this otherwise cool subzone.
Winemaking at Caparzo is entering a new era, as well, with the young Curzio Croci taking the helm in the cellar. And the verdict is in – this new chapter is as promising as ever, at least according to the critics: “The most recent vintages at Caparzo display a new energy and lightness of being without sacrificing intensity and ageability […] the Vigna La Casa, all Montosoli fruit, displays added dimension and depth imparted by this noble site.” - Eric Guido, Vinous Media
We’re delighted to release a small quantity of the current release of the 2019 Riserva Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and 2020 Vigna La Casa Brunello di Montalcino DOCG to members before they hit the market.
- 2020 Caparzo "Vigna La Casa" Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, 750ml
- 2019 Caparzo "Riserva" Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, 750ml
