Brunello Di Montalcino La Casa

Caparzo Brunello Di Montalcino La Casa is excellent with stewed and braised game dishes, with wild boar, guinea fowl, or duck, but also roast veal and pork, all grilled meats and aged cheeses.

The origins of the place name Caparzo are still unknown. According to some people, the name should derive, as shown by ancient maps, from Ca’ Pazzo; according to others, the term should derive from the Latin Caput Arsum and should indicate a “place touched by the sun”. The beginning of the history of Caparzo dates back to the end of the sixties, when a group of friends, fond of Tuscany and of wine, purchased an old ruin with vineyards at Montalcino. We are at the dawning of Brunello di Montalcino, the Association has just been set up and the producers-bottlers are only 13. The farm estate was renovated, modernised and new vineyards were planted. In a short time, Caparzo was able to impose itself on the market of Brunello. Thirty years passed from the first rows of vines and from the first cellar experiences. In 1998, the farm estate came to a turning point when Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini purchased Caparzo. She immediately carried out her objectives: combine tradition with innovation to create a high-quality wine, expression of an excellent territory, with the help of her son, Igino, and daughter, Alessandra.

The 5-hectare La Casa Vineyard is located on the Montosoli Hill, at an elevation of 275 meters, and enjoys a south-southeast exposure. The Montosoli Hill is not large, but its slightly higher elevation shields it from both mists and spring frosts, and yields grapes of incontrovertible quality. The terrain is a mix of schist and clay, of a sort locally known as “Galestro”, and is well drained. The vineyard enjoys excellent sunshine, an important factor for this sector of the northern part of the Montalcino Appellation, which has lower average temperatures than other sectors.

Malolactic fermentation takes place spontaneously, at a controlled temperature of 20-24 °C, immediately after racking. The wine is subsequently aged in wood for at least 2 years and in the bottles for at least 4 months.

The primary fermentation takes 7 days, at controlled temperatures of between 28 and 30°C, and is followed by delestages ("rack and return") and pump overs. Because of the superb quality of the skins, the wine is kept in contact with them for a further 10/15 days.