Chianti Classico’s Villa Calcinaia: 500 Years and Counting

Villa Calcinaia is the real thing, an historic producer of wine owned by the same family since 1524, the same year the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano explored America’s Atlantic coast and discovered Manhattan.  Today, 500 years later, Villa Calcinaia is (since 1992) in the very capable hands of Conte Sebastiano Capponi, the 37^th generation of the family to own and the 1^st generation to actively manage the estate. We review the current Chianti Classico releases of Villa Calcinaia below. [Note: on May 23 of this year Villa Calcinaia celebrated its purchase by the Capponi family on May 23, 1524.]

Federico Staderini

Villa Calcinaia is situated in Montefioralle on the left bank of the Greve River near the town of Greve in Chianti. This 215 hectare, historic estate’s 34 hectares of vineyards has been farmed organically since 2014.  Located on the east-southeast facing slopes of the valley, the vineyards have a high percentage of galestro (schist) with outcrops of alberese (limestone).  Dr. Federico Staderini has been consulting enologist since 1996, and Luca Socci is consulting agronomist.

We’ll present the wines of Villa Calcinaia along with those of many other producers in our forthcoming Chianti Classico report, which will be our fourth, in-depth report on the wines of Tuscany.  Read our last report on Chianti Classico here.

The US importer is the Marchetti Company.

The Wines

Conte Sebastiano Capponi

Villa Calcinaia 2021 Piegaia Chianti Classico (Greve in Chianti) ($20) 90 Piegaia is a fruit forward annata that offers excellent value. The palate is bright and fresh with lively fresh red cherry flavor. The perfect wine for pizza! A blend of 90{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} Sangiovese and 10{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} Merlot from organically farmed, younger, east facing vineyards planted to clones known for their floral and fruity bouquet; fermented in small stainless steel tanks and aged in traditional cement vats for 15 months. 14{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} alc.

Villa Calcinaia 2021 Cappone Chianti Classico (Greve in Chianti) ($21) 90  This is a lovely, lively easy drinking Chianti Classico. The fruit rich bouquet shows touches of earth and leather that carry over to the palate. Soft and round in the mouth with good acidity and firm tannins. Sourced from younger vines on the estate, fermented in stainless steel, and aged in cement vats for 15 months. 13.5{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} alc.

Villa Calcinaia 2020 Chianti Classico (Greve in Chianti) ($29) 91 Dark red cherry and a note of tobacco leaf show on the nose and mirrored on the palate. There’s good acidity and freshness and lively red fruit notes that persist on a long finish. A delicious, easy drinking Chianti Classico. A blend of hand harvested 90{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} Sangiovese and 10{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} Canaiolo fermented by vineyard block in stainless steel and matured 20 months in tonneaux and barrique after which the separate lots are blended and aged another 4 months in cement vats. 14{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} alc.

Villa Calcinaia 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva (Greve in Chianti) ($48) 93 A clear step up from the annata in terms of complexity, depth and mouth feel, the Riserva is a superb Chianti Classico. The nose shows sweet dark red cherries with an earthy edge. The palate is round, full, balanced and densely fruited. Finishes clean, long and rich. The Riserva may not have the same aging capacity as the Gran Seleziones, but right now it’s drinking beautifully. Sourced from two blocks of organically cultivated old vines; matured 15 months in 500L French tonneaux, then blended and aged another 4-6 months in Slavonian oak casks. Great value! 100{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} Sangiovese sourced from two blocks of organically cultivated old vines; matured 15 months in 500L French tonneaux, then blended and aged another 4-6 months in Slavonian oak casks.

Villa Calcinaia 2019 Vigna Bastignano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico (Greve in Chianti) ($67) 94 The Bastignano Gran Selezione has a penetrating nose of red and dark cherry with loamy earth, dried tea, and balsamic nuances that are mirrored on a densely packed palate. A silky, mouth filing wine that begs to be paired with substantial fare. Vigna Bastignano has a southeast exposure and is planted on stone terraces in marl soils with cuttings from the original vines of the estate. The grapes are hand harvested, given 18 days maceration and aged 30 months in Slavonian oak. 14.5{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} alc.

Villa Calcinaia 2019 Vigna Contessa Luisa Gran Selezione Chianti Classico (Greve in Chianti) ($71) 93  With its earthy, sweet underbrush, dark fruit and meaty notes, the Vigna Contessa Luisa is an exciting food wine. Roasted blackberry and cherry fruit come to the fore on the palate complemented by balsamic, roasted blackberry, and smoked meat notes. A deliciously layered and rich wine!   The 2 ha, west-facing vineyard Contessa Luisa was planted by Ferrante Capponi in 1959 on grey calcareous clay so the vineyard produces dense, structured wines. Hand harvested grapes are given 18 days maceration in open top 500L tonneaux followed by 24 months aging in 5L tonneaux and cement vats. 14.5{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} alc.

Villa Calcinaia 2019 Vigna La Fornace Gran Selezione Chianti Classico (Greve in Chianti) ($71) 94 Bouquet of sweet underbrush, cherry and plum complicated by tobacco leaf and sage. Round and full on the palate with a refined mouth feel and slightly roasted fruit flavors, finishing with good focus and length. 100{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} Sangiovese hand harvested from the La Fornace vineyard planted in 1975 very close to the Greve river, so it has particularly sandy soils; macerated 18 days in open 500L tonneaux followed by 24 months aging in 5L tonneau. Best to decant. 14{83994d7454f8ce68441ea8152244c292227c3db19076e7622c8f5ff92141c35a} alc.