Tenuta di Capezzana

Tenuta di Capezzana's documented history is among the deepest in Italian wine. An archival parchment from 804 AD, stored in the Florentine State Archives, references viticulture at the property, placing winemaking at the estate among the oldest continuously documented in Italy. The estate passed through Medici-era ownership and was for a time held by the Rothschild family, with Sara de Rothschild as the late-19th-century owner. In 1920, Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi purchased the property and began the family's century-plus stewardship that continues to today through the fourth and fifth generations. Count Ugo Contini Bonacossi, the founder's son, was a key figure in the modern Carmignano story: he led the producer campaign that restored Carmignano's independent DOC status in 1975 after decades during which the 1932 Dalmasso Commission had administratively absorbed Carmignano into the Chianti Montalbano sub-zone.

• 804 AD: archival parchment in Florentine State Archives documents viticulture at the property
• Estate held by Sara de Rothschild before 1920; Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi acquired the property that year
• Count Ugo Contini Bonacossi led the producer campaign that restored Carmignano's independent DOC status in 1975
• Four and five generations of continuous Contini Bonacossi family stewardship to present day

Tenuta di Capezzana lies on the Montalbano hills approximately 16 kilometres northwest of Florence, in the heart of the Carmignano DOCG zone. The estate covers 80 hectares of certified organic vineyards across a mix of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Canaiolo Nero, and white varieties supporting both red wines and Vin Santo production. Vineyards occupy hillside sites at typical Carmignano elevations (50 to 200 metres), with soils dominated by calcareous clay and limestone with galestro and macigno (sandstone) components, providing the drainage and mineral character distinctive to the western Montalbano sector. The estate is situated within the historic Barco Reale (the 1626 Medici hunting reserve enclosed by 50 kilometres of walls), giving the property a remarkable historical landscape setting alongside its working agriculture.

• 80 hectares of certified organic vineyards on the Montalbano hills, 16 km northwest of Florence
• Varieties: Sangiovese (backbone), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Canaiolo Nero, and white varieties for Vin Santo
• Soils: calcareous clay and limestone with galestro and macigno (sandstone) components
• Estate situated within the historic 1626 Medici Barco Reale hunting reserve (50 km of enclosing walls)

Capezzana's winemaking combines deep traditional methodology with the disciplined excellence that comes from a century of focused estate operation. The flagship Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG, first produced from the 1925 vintage, has been continuously bottled for a century from a blend of 80 percent Sangiovese and 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Trefiano Riserva, first made in 1979, sources from two specific single-vineyard parcels on clay-shale soils and is the estate's prestige tier Riserva. Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC and Vin Santo Riserva, the estate's celebrated dessert wines from semi-dried Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes aged in small caratelli (50-100 litre casks) for many years, are reference examples of the Tuscan style. Vin Ruspo, a rose-style Vin Santo, offers an unusual expression of the dessert wine tradition. The estate's organic vineyard management and native-yeast fermentation reflect a producer for whom heritage and modern best practice are inseparable.

• Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG: 80% Sangiovese / 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, continuously produced since 1925
• Trefiano Riserva: first 1979 vintage, Riserva selection from two single-vineyard parcels on clay-shale soils
• Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC and Riserva: reference Tuscan dessert wine from semi-dried Trebbiano and Malvasia, aged in small caratelli
• Vin Ruspo: rare rose-style Vin Santo expression, distinctive to the Capezzana range

Capezzana's range covers the full Carmignano spectrum and beyond. Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG (the historic flagship), Trefiano Riserva (the prestige Riserva), Carmignano DOCG normale, and Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC (the lighter secondary denomination) form the red wine core. The Vin Santo range, including the rare Vin Ruspo rose-style, demonstrates the estate's full breadth of Tuscan traditions. Beyond Carmignano, Capezzana produces Conte Contini Bonacossi (a Toscana IGT Sangiovese-based blend), various IGT wines, and a small Toscana IGT range showcasing Cabernet Sauvignon and other varieties from estate plantings. The estate's wines are regularly recognised by Italian publications (Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri, Bibenda) and international critics (James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Vinous), with Trefiano Riserva and the Vin Santo Riserva drawing particular acclaim.

• Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG: historic flagship, continuously produced since 1925, 80% Sangiovese / 20% Cabernet
• Trefiano Carmignano Riserva DOCG: prestige Riserva from single-vineyard parcels, first 1979 vintage
• Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC: lighter secondary denomination from younger vines or declassified lots
• Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC and Vin Santo Riserva: reference Tuscan dessert wines; Vin Ruspo rose-style

Tenuta di Capezzana offers one of Tuscany's most complete agritourism experiences, with comprehensive visitor offerings including guided tastings, winery tours, and a restaurant whose kitchen serves regional cuisine overlooking the estate's vineyards and olive groves. The estate is approximately 30 minutes by car from central Florence, making it one of the most accessible premium wine appellations in Tuscany. Visitors can also explore the estate's medieval and Renaissance buildings, including chapels and farmhouses dating from the period when the property was held by Medici-era families. The Contini Bonacossi family's deep cultural commitment extends beyond wine: members of the family have been notable art collectors and patrons, with the Contini Bonacossi Collection (donated to the Italian state) including works by Bellini, Veronese, Goya, and Velazquez now housed at the Uffizi. The combination of working winery, historic landscape, and cultural lineage makes Capezzana an exceptional destination.

• Full agritourism experience with guided tastings, winery tours, and estate restaurant serving regional cuisine
• Approximately 30 minutes from central Florence by car, making it one of the most accessible Tuscan premium estates
• Estate includes medieval and Renaissance buildings, chapels, and farmhouses from Medici-era ownership periods
• Contini Bonacossi Collection: family-donated art at the Uffizi includes works by Bellini, Veronese, Goya, Velazquez