Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/118688
Looking South Luxury Synonymous with Quality Further south in the Siena hills, within Chianti's largest sub-region, Colli Senesi, are the Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano areas. The wines of Brunello di Montalcino are themselves considered a luxury, but at Massimo Ferragamo's Castiglion del Bosco they are elevated even further. The estate sits within the Val d'Orcia nature preserve and is home to del Bosco's cru site, Campo de Drago, so named for the twisting stream at the base of the estate's Capanna vineyard. Here winemaker Ceclia Leoneschi produces Brunello DOCG from meager galestro and clay schist soils. Leoneschi began replanting the estate in 2003 and sources Rosso di Montalcino from the younger vines of the Gauggiole vineyard. The heart of Castiglion del Bosco is built around The cellar at Il Borro. a medieval borgo dating to 1100 AD and includes villas, two restaurants, a cooking school, golf course and spa. The Ferragamos also produce wine further north near Valdarno, in the Colli Arentini sub-region of Chianti that lies between Greve and Arezzo. In 1993, Ferruccio Ferragamo purchased Il Borro, a medieval village and manor house dating to 1039 that are built on a deep ravine (or borro) at the foot of Tuscany's Pratomagno Mountains. The Il Borro portfolio includes four organic IGT wines, including the flagship Il Borro, a Merlot-dominate blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot, produced under the direction of consulting winemaker Stefano Chioccioli. In addition to a restored 300-year-old cellar, the Relais & Châteaux estate offers villas and apartments in the historic village, two restaurants and a spa sited on 700 hectares of hunting reserve. PHOTO: RIVA SINGH Change is in the air and big changes are in store for Chianti producer Dievole, an 800-acre estate in Vagliagli, near Siena, which marks the southern boundary of the Chianti Classico DOCG. The landscape there captivated Argentine vintner Alejandro "Alex" Bulgheroni, who bought the estate late last year. "At Dievole we've found a terroir that reflects the long history of the region and our first step here will be to modernize the winery," he said. His consulting partner, Alberto Antonini, will oversee the improvements for both the wines and the resort at Dievole (the name translates as "God wants"). Bulgheroni also purchased Poggi Landi in nearby Montalcino and owns Bodega Garzon in Uruguay, Argento in Argentina and Renwood Winery in Amador County. Just east of Dievole, perched on a hilltop outside the village of Giaole, sits a jewel of a winery—Capannelle. The winery, founded in 1974 by Raffaele Rossetti and now owned by hotelier James Sherwood, hasn't made many changes recently; they're still using the proprietary bottle and labels originally created by Rossetti. Capannelle produces four wines: a Chianti Classico Reserva and three IGT wines: red blend Solare, a Chardonnay and 50&50, a blend created in conjunction with neighboring Monteplulciano producer Avignonesi that was first introduced in 1988. Winemaker Simone Monciatti marries Capannalle's Sangiovese with Merlot from Avignonesi in percentages that vary based on which variety performs better in a given vintage. With the winery, lab and caves located beneath an original farmhouse that offers five guest suites and an expansive view, the estate's best-kept Ceclia Leoneschi, winemaker at secret is a James Bond– inspired cellar. Castiglion del Bosco. Looking West With the Mediterranean visible in the distance and a steady off –shore wind whipping the vines, Castello del Terriccio's vineyards are sited in a unique maritime climate on the Tuscan coast. Located north of Bolgheri, the 4,200-acre estate is owned by Dr. Gian Serafini Ferri and includes a large organic farm and horse stables in addition to 153 acres of vineyard. Terriccio's sandy, clay soils with tracks of limestone and galestro Nicola Vaglini of Terriccio. marl are planted to international varieties and Sangiovese and produces astoundingly complex IGT wines. "The names we've taken for the wines, like Lupicaia and Tassinaia, are the Etruscan place from an old map of the estate," said Terriccio winemaker Nicola Vaglini. The '04 Tassinaia, a Cabernet -Sangiovese-Merlot blend, showed layers of dried herbs, roasted meat, cassis and cedar. april 2013 / the tasting panel / 115