Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - Vigna LA CASA
2021, Toscana, Italy
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - Vigna LA CASA
Sangiovese
Caparzo
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Profile & Story
Established in 1970, Caparzo is one of Montalcino's 30 historic wineries, and is among those that most contributed to the creation of the Brunello myth. A center for experimentation and innovation from the outset, in 1977 Caparzo introduced the concept of Cru to Montalcino, vinifying separately the grapes from the La Casa vineyard, one of the most prestigious in the Appellation. Upon purchasing Caparzo in 1998, Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini transformed it radically, building a new, completely underground aging cellar that is among the most technologically advanced in the area. She also replanted the vineyards, and through careful acquisitions increased the vineyard area from the initial 46 hectares to 90, of which 32 yield Brunello and 18 Rosso di Montalcino. One of Caparzo's strong points is that it has vineyards in almost all of Montalcino's best areas; this allows the estate to draw the best from every vintage, even the most difficult. In 1983 the La Casa cru was flanked by La Caduta, a Rosso di Montalcino that draws its name from the La Caduta vineyard. The estate's philosophy has always been to look to the future, and it is no accident that Caparzo was the first Montalcino estate to install solar panels; Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini and her son Igino, who is an environmental engineer, decided to install them seven years ago, and they now supply much of the electricity the cellars require. As such they represent a first, fundamental step towards a viticulture that is less invasive and more respectful of the environment and the landscape. Another important step was the acquisition of a large filter with which to treat all of the rainfall and waters used in the productive cycle, which are made drinkable and stored in a reservoir. In 2005 a program for the differentiated recovery the estate's wastes was introduced, and in 2012 the estate obtained the ISO 9001:2008 “Sistema di Gestione per la Qualità” and the BS OHSAS 18001:2007 “Sistema di Gestione della Sicurezza e Salute sul Luogo di Lavoro” certifications.The Caparzo estate is growing steadily, using the most modern technologies to obtain the most from nature without recourse to chemistry. Caparzo also boasts a cutting edge laboratory that allows it to monitor both the ripeness of the grapes and all of the subsequent phases in the making and aging of the wines. Over its more than 40-year history Caparzo has grown significantly, and its wines have become known and appreciated in Italy and abroad. At present Caparzo's wines are available in 42, countries, sought out by consumers who appreciate their consistent quality and their strong ties to their terroir.
Tasting Notes
Caparzo's Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Vigna la Casa can be considered a true enological gem, and not just in terms of Montalcino. La Casa derives its name from having been the farm where some of the tenant farmers who worked for the owners of Palazzo Montosoli, which is at a distance of a few hundred meters, lived. The first vintage of Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa was produced in 1977. At the time little was known of terroir, and little attention was paid to the concept of zonation, which had only recently been introduced to Montalcino. In this case Caparzo was once again a pace setter, producing a “Single Vineyard” Brunello from one of the finest vineyards in the Appellation. With Brunello di Montalcino La Casa, Caparzo also was one of the first wineries to introduce barriques to Montalcino, producing a wine with an polite, elegant spirit. Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa is the fruit of a unique terroir, and expresses all of Caparzo's passion and experience in producing excellent wines. VIGNETO LA CASA: The 5-hectare La Casa Vineyard is located on the Montosoli Hill, at al elevation of 275 meters, and enjoys a south southeast exposure. The Montosoli Hill is not large, but its slightly greater elevation shields it from both mists and spring frosts, and yields grapes of incontrovertible quality. The terrain is shisty-clayey, of a sort locally known as Galestro, and is well drained. The vineyard enjoys excellent sunshine, an important factor for this sector of the northern part of the Montalcino Appellation, which has lower average temperatures than other sectors. HARVEST: manual. PRIMARY FERMENTATION: The primary fermentation takes 7 days, at controlled temperatures between 28 and 30 °C, and is followed by delestages and pump overs. Because of the superb quality of the skins, the wine is kept in contact with them for a further 10/15 days. MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION: Spontaneous, at a controlled temperature of 20-24 °C, immediately after racking. AGING IN WOOD: at least 2 year. BOTTLE AGING: at least 4 months. ALCOHOL CONTENT: 13,00 - 14,00% vol. ACIDITY: 5 - 6‰ AGING CAPACITY: more than 35 years. FIRST YEAR PRODUCED: 1977 COLOR: ruby, tending towards garnet with age. BOUQUET: penetrating, ample, and extremely complex, with wild berry fruit, spice and vanilla. PALATE: dry, warm, well balanced and austere, ample and persistent. FOOD-WINE PAIRINGS: excellent with roasts and spit-roasted meats, grilled meats, game, braised meats, and aged cheeses. SERVING TEMPERATURE: 18 °C, best if opened 1 - 2 hours before it is poured.
Pairing Recommendation
Excellent with roasts and spit-roasted meats, grilled meats, game, braised meats, and aged cheeses.