Podere Capaccia Toscana Rosso IGT

Toscana Rosso IGT from Podere Capaccia

As the abbreviation IGT indicates, the Toscana Rosso from Podere Capaccia, which is located very close to the center of Radda in Chianti, is a typical Tuscan red wine. This is because the Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) designation of origin corresponds to the EU designation of origin "protected geographical indication" (PGI). Podere Capaccia's IGT is a blend of 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 percent Cabernet Franc and 25 percent Sangiovese. Like all grapes at Podere Capaccia, the grapes for the IGT are carefully harvested by hand. After fermentation in steel tanks, the Toscana Rosso is matured exclusively in new barrique barrels, which gives the wine its powerful structure - which Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc can certainly tolerate, indeed need! The result is a red wine with incredible power and richness, of which you should always have more than one bottle at home, because one bottle is usually not enough. A little tip if you have a large group over: Podere Capaccia Toscana Rosso IGT is also available in a magnum version with 1.5 liters!

Radda in Chianti: In the heart of one of the world's most famous wine regions

Radda is a medieval village in the heart of Tuscany, perched high on a hill above green valleys. In the heart of one of the most famous wine regions in the world: Chianti Classico! The area around Radda is home to numerous renowned winegrowers. No wonder, as the conditions here are ideal for growing grapes and making wine. Just a few minutes' drive from Radda, at the end of a picturesque valley at around 550 meters above sea level, the Podere Capaccia vineyard extends over an area of around 20 hectares. The six houses that belong to the estate can only be reached via a steep gravel road. Like Radda itself, the small collection of buildings has its roots in the 12th and 14th centuries. Three hectares of the estate are planted with vines, and one hectare is soon to be planted with new vines. Otherwise, olive trees of the Leccino, Moraiolo and Frantoio varieties grow on the hills and valleys. The fruit of the trees is processed into a fine olive oil. Podere Capaccia is also home to numerous wonderful chestnut trees, which owner Herman de Bode is committed to caring for and preserving. The Belgian-born owner has also set himself the task of restoring the historic buildings of Podere Capaccia and breathing new life into them. 

Podere Capaccia: a medieval hamlet as a winery

Podere Capaccia can also look back on an eventful history as a wine estate. After the Second World War, when Capaccia was owned by the noble Florentine Contiginori family, the estate stood empty for decades and was left to decay. In 1975, Gianpaolo Pacini acquired the estate, restored two of the buildings and began producing wine. With great success: his Capaccia Querciagrande - the large oak tree - was mentioned in the same breath as the famous Supertuscans of the 1980s and 1990s. However, Pacini had to sell the estate again and after the vineyard had belonged to another owner for five years, the Belgian Herman de Bode finally acquired the historic property in 2010. In 2012, he began planting new vines. In order to perfect the vineyards, wine cellar and, of course, his wines, de Bode hired oenologist Alyson Morgan from California, who had already gained experience with Chianti Classico in previous years. She is assisted by Donato Alvino, who has been working at Capaccia for around 20 years and has a wealth of experience to match. And so, under Alyson's management, the new underground wine cellar was built in 2016, everything was brought up to the latest state of the art and the wines were continuously fine-tuned.

Soil, climate, organic: ideal conditions for dream wines

The basis of Podere Capaccia's small but exceptionally fine range of red wines is, of course, the 100% Sangiovese Chianti Classico. The grapes for this come from the youngest vineyards, which were planted in 2012. The Chianti Classico Riserva is made from grapes from older vines, which provide more minerality and strength. The third of Capaccia's red wines is the Toscana Rosso IGT - a blend of the international grape varieties Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. The 2019 vintage marked the return of Querciagrande Colle della Toscana Centrale IGT to the Podere Capaccia winery range. Originally created in the 1980s by the then owner Giampoalo Pacini, this wine was once a true icon among the Supertuscans. Even then - as today - it was made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes, which was considered revolutionary at the time.

Winegrowers before the current owner, Herman de Bode, had already recognized that the sites on Capaccia were ideal for growing wine: The south-facing position of the vineyards high up on the hills of Radda in Chianti at an average altitude of 550 meters, the nature of the soil consisting of sandstone, limestone and slate and the sustainable cultivation of the vineyards form the basis for perfect grape material. Together with his California-born wine expert Alyson Morgan and the agronomist Donato, Herman de Bode has succeeded in producing wines of the highest quality.

In Italy, in the region Tuscany, in the region Chianti Classico, in Radda in Chianti

Herman de Bode

Donato

3 ha

Sandstone, limestone, slate

South or south-east orientation

550 m above sea level on average.

5,000 vines per ha

Cordon