DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARD 2022 SILVER MEDAL. Powerful and spicy with plenty of earthy dried herbal characters. Big with tannin-chew and a chocolate-driven finish.
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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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LOCATIONWINERY: Carmignano, Prato, Tuscany VINEYARD: Carmignano, Tuscany VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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92
JUNE 2022
Tenuta di Capezzana Villa di Capezzana di Carmignano DOCG 2018
DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARD 2022 SILVER MEDAL. Powerful and spicy with plenty of earthy dried herbal characters. Big with tannin-chew and a chocolate-driven finish. 95
MAY 2023
Tenuta di Capezzana Villa di Capezzana di Carmignano DOCG 2013
This is the 10 Anni Library re-release of this vintage. This is maturing nicely, with ripe, sweet black currant, blackberry and black cherry core flavors accented by spice, leather, mineral and woodsy flavors. Complex, balanced and long, with an aftertaste echoing the fruit and savory elements. Drink now through 2037. From Italy. 93
DECEMBER 2020
Tenuta di Capezzana Trefiano Carmignano DOCG Riserva 2016
Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo make up the Tenuta di Capezzana 2016 Carmignano Riserva Trefiano. This expression shows poise and balance with dark fruit, leather, spice and tobacco. Fruit from a classic vintage has shaped a wine with classic lines. The blended reds of Carmignano offer distinctive richness and dark fruit intensity. This wine faithfully mirrors that sense of place. Dusty mineral notes appear on the close. 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. 93
DECEMBER 2021
Tenuta di Capezzana Villa di Capezzana di Carmignano DOCG 2017
The 2017 Carmignano Villa di Capezzana takes its time opening in the glass, at first dusty with dried cherries and only a hint of dusty rose. Yet this is worth the wait, as its berry fruit transforms into crushed plums and raspberries, complemented by sweet herbs, hints of animal musk and flowery undergrowth. It washes dark elegant waves of mineral-tinged blackberries across the palate, offset by a twang of sour citrus, as hints of cocoa and tobacco build toward the close. This is structured and noble in feel, yet with enough primary concentration to nearly mask its grippy tannins, as touches of mint and dark chocolate linger through the medium-length finale. The balance that Capezzana has culled from this torridly hot and dry vintage is remarkable. That said, the 2017 is already drinking beautifully today after a good decant. This is a blend of 80% Sangiovese to 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 93
OCTOBER 2022
Tenuta di Capezzana Villa di Capezzana di Carmignano DOCG 2013
A well-aged Carmignano that is holding up very well, with savory dried mushroom, rhubarb, blood orange and moss to the earthy plums and red-berry fruit. Fine austerity coming from the chewy, unresolved tannins make it attractive with juicy, savory berry fruit to the medium-bodied palate. Still tight and bright. Drink now or keep holding for a few years. 94
MAY 2023
Tenuta di Capezzana Ghiaie della Furba Toscana IGT 2019
Powerful and polished, the 2019 is another excellent Ghiaie della Furba. With the same blend as the 2016, Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Syrah (35%) and Merlot, this youthful dynamo displays haunting peppery accents that balance the deep, plum-like black fruit nuances. Finely honed firm tannins add to its appeal and impart balancing structure without astringency. Fresh and lively, it has a graceful and persistent finish. 93
MARCH 2024
Tenuta di Capezzana Ugo Conti Bonacossi Toscana IGT 2018
The 2018 Ugo Contini Bonacossi, a varietal Sangiovese, evolves in the glass with a rich blend of cherry and plum sauce, accentuated and lifted by hints of sage and sweet mint. This is velvety smooth yet full of zesty energy, with a core of nervous acidity that enlivens its sour red and black berry fruits. The 2018 finishes long and staining yet light on its feet, leaving edgy tannins to resonate as the cheeks pucker with youthful tension. I expect the 2018 to evolve sooner than bigger vintages, but with that said, it is no less pleasurable. |