Toscana IGT Ugo Contini Bonacossi 2018 – Capezzana

The grapes to produce the Toscana IGT Ugo Contini Bonacossi Capezzana were hand harvested and carefully selected at the winery. Fermentation took place in stainless steel vats at 26-28°C for seven days followed by a further 13 days maceration on the skins. The wine was then aged in a mix of new and used French oak barriques for 18 months, during which time malolactic fermentation took place. After bottling the wine was then matured for a further 12 months before being released.

The grapes for this wine come from the Viticciana vineyard, which was personally designed by Ugo Contini Bonacossi himself. This hilly site sits at 150 metres above sea level and offers the Sangiovese vines an ideal south-facing exposure. The soil is composed of clay schist and limestone.

Capezzana, situated in the Carmignano zone to the west of Florence, is owned and run by the Contini Bonacossi family, the latest in a long line of owners. In fact, in the archives in Florence, they discovered a contract for the rent of vines and olive groves at Capezzana signed in 804 AD. Today, the responsibility for ensuring the continuation of such longevity lies with the fourth generation of the Contini Bonacossi family, with Beatrice looking after all marketing and communication aspects and her sister Benedetta in charge of winemaking. Franco Bernabei is their consultant winemaker, and his contribution and presence has given the wines additional focus and personality. The estate has 80 hectares of vineyard and 30,000 olive trees, all of which are farmed organically (the wines are certified organic from the 2015 vintage onwards).