Ideally located in Radda in Chianti and surrounded by dense forest, Podere Capaccia is an impressive new project. Situated between neighbors Montevertine and Castello di Albola on either side, they are across the street from Poggerino and Tenuta di Carleone.
The soils here are predominantly sandstone, limestone, and shale, all of which have exceptional drainage and structure that allows for deep root growth without excessive stress. With an altitude of 550 meters above sea level, the air temperature is cool and night even during the hottest part of summer. This allows for slow and balanced ripening of the grapes.
The estate and its medieval hamlet were purchased by Herman De Bode and his wife Fanny in 2010 with old vineyards and a rustic cellar. They started doing some necessary replanting and built a state-of-the-art underground winery. 2017 was their first vintage. The original buildings of the hamlet have now been returned to their original splendor, looking over the Radda valley.
The team at Capaccia is one of its strongest attributes. Winemaker Alyson Morgan arrived in Capaccia in 2012 to manage the winery and oversee wine production. Originally from California's Mendocino coast, Alyson graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Oenology and spent two decades making wine in Chianti Classico. Alyson applies everything she has learned to create phenomenal wines for Capaccia. She was able to design the winery with the goal of making Herman's vision a reality. With incredible grapes and a cutting-edge winery, Alyson is creating wines that respect tradition while reflecting Capaccia’s desire for perfection.
Vineyard manager Donato Alvino, originally from Basilicata, has lived and worked in Chianti Classico since 1996. After gaining experience in the vineyards and cellars of the area, he arrived in Capaccia 20 years ago with a wealth of knowledge and the skills to raise the quality of the wines. His impeccable attention to detail and tireless dedication to Capaccia are reflected in the perfectly manicured vineyards and state-of-the-art winery. Donato continually works to improve every aspect of the winery, from the soil to the bottle.
Great care goes into the process of harvesting, selecting, and fermenting the grapes. Harvest occurs late September, and all the vineyards are harvested by hand in 15 kilogram boxes. There is rigorous selection of the grapes. The bunches are destemmed and there is further triage of the individual berries on the vibrating sorting table before they pass by gravity into tank.
The whole grapes begin fermentation within the grape itself, creating a sort of anaerobic carbonic maceration. The first days of fermentation are crucial, keeping temperatures at 26°C while the process of disintegration of the skins begins.
When fermentation is at its peak, the wort is pumped into a separate tank where it is cooled and then put back over the skins in what is called a delestage. Once the hydrometer registers that there is no more sugar in the must, pumping over must be done without moving the must to another tank. This allows for greater extraction and oxygenation to keep the yeasts healthy as they turn all the sugar into alcohol. The new wine is kept on the skins for another two weeks after the end of fermentation. The wines are racked throughout the maceration to allow for optimal extraction
The cellar can keep each vineyard lot separate during the alcoholic fermentation and the subsequent malolactic fermentation. This second fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks where they are kept at 22°C to ensure ideal conditions for the selected malolactic bacteria. Once all the malic acid has been transformed into lactic acid, the wine is transferred to barrique. During aging, the underground barrel room is maintained at a constant temperature and humidity to allow for slow barrel aging.
The Vineyards
The Lawn
This vineyard is located on the crest of the Capaccia property. The vines bask in the sun all day, while light breezes constantly circulate the air. The marl soil allows for perfect drainage, and the deep clay beneath the surface holds water for the roots. The Sangiovese from this vineyard is an expression of the region and of the true Chianti Classico.
Cortaccio
Thanks to the south-west exposure and the variety of the soil, this vineyard ripens perfectly. Although it is still a young vineyard, the vines have thrived in this soil.
The Scopiccio
On the south-east side of the hill are the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese vines. The soil is similar to that of the Cortaccio vineyard but has less silt and more drainage. The vines take longer to find their soil and will need an extra year before reaching full production.
Le Campanelle
On this steep southern slope, vineyard management is a delicate balance between erosion control and soil structure with the use of cover crops. The organic material is reinforced at the top of the slope to balance the vineyard. The vines at the base of the slope are more vigorous and the bunches are thinned out in summer to ensure complete ripening.
The Wines
Chianti Classico
After fermentation in stainless steel, the Chianti Classico remains in 25 hectoliter barrel for 18 months to soften the tannins and ensure the delicacy of the wine. The wines are carefully bottled and left to rest in a temperature and humidity-controlled storage room until they are released to the market.
Querciagrande
Querciagrande is made from the grapes planted in 2007 that made up the Chianti Classico Riserva until the 2018 vintage. In 2019, the vineyard was 12-years-old and at its prime (it was also a fantastic year for Tuscany) so they brought the historic label or ‘Querciagrande’ (large oak tree) back. After whole berry fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is moved to 300 liter barrels (30% new, 70% 2nd and 3rd pass) for 18 months, and then into large oak casks (1500 liter) for six more months to soften tannins.