Famiglia Capitoni

"Our hands move carefully among the green leaves to position the shoots.  Our arms seem to join with other arms: the vineshoots. And our faces are always looking up to see if it is raining or beautiful. We suffer so much in bad years, perhaps just as much in good years.

Because then it all comes down to us..."

Such are the words of the Capitoni family, lead by proprietor and winemaker Marco Capitoni.  Their farm,  Podere Sedime,  traces its roots back to 1692.  But it wasn't until the Capitonis acquired the estate in the 1990s that quality wine production became a focus of the family.  Although the family reveres the farm's long history and the families that tended it before them,  they insist on looking forward with high quality, sustainable wines that will add to their legacy.

~ The Pieve Corsignano in Pienza.  Note the Angel, resolute and firm, in the window of the Church. She became the inspiration that now graces the Capitoni family wine labels ~

Marco explains it well.   "I could spend time talking about the long history of the property, but I’d rather talk about the present: my family, our objectives, how our wines are made, because the results we obtain are the fruits of our passion for our work.  In the late Nineties we increased the vineyard area. We chose a suitable, nicely aspected plot of land with mixed tufaceous soil speckled with fossil shells dating back millions of years when the area was under the sea. We renovated the old farmhouse and now barriques and casks lie where the stables for the huge Chianina cows once stood."  

~ The Capitoni farm is near the lovely Tuscan hill town of Pienza, in the Val d'Orcia, that lies between Montepulciano and Montalcino ~

The family produces two wines from the Orcia DOC,  "Frasi" and the "Orcia Riserva".   We'll be reporting on both of the wines but today, we're focusing on the 2011 Orcia Riserva. 

The 2011 Capitoni Riserva displays a deep ruby color and fades slightly to copper at the edge of the bowl.  We did not decant the wine,  but actually enjoyed it over a two night period which allowed a unique perspective to gauge the development and the aromatic variability of the wine.  

On the nose, the wine is spicy, with ripe cherry fruit, sweet pipe tobacco and fennel easily discernible.  It's very aromatic and frankly, gorgeous to smell.  It shouts: "I'm a Tuscan Sangiovese!"  Except.....this wine has 20% Merlot in the blend and on day two, the aroma picked up some dark chocolate and coffee notes that seemed to be Merlot driven.  

On the palate,  the wine is medium bodied with ripe, round flavors of cherry, sweet pipe tobacco, chestnut and fennel.  Backed by noticeable acidity,  the wine remains fresh and lively despite the 15% alcohol content.  Moderate tannins are present and assert themselves much more aggressively without food.  Fermented in stainless steel and then finished in barrique for 12 months and then in bottle for 6 months prior to release, we paired this wine with a hearty pasta dish featuring fennel sausage and spinach that will be a future recipe here on TuscanVines.

The Riserva is very enjoyable to drink now or hold 1-2 years and makes me look forward to reporting on Frasi.  90 points and a good value around $17.   Disclosure:  This bottle was a producer provided sample.  

~ The Capitoni Riserva is 80% Sangiovese and 20%  Merlot.  Note the angel from the Church window on the label of the wine ~

Cin Cin!