Castello di Volpaia
Website: https://volpaia.com/en/#volpaia
During a brisk October evening, we found ourselves wandering around a beautifully maintained small hilltop village. The majority of the village belongs to Castello di Volpaia. We explored this charming place with the owner, Giovannella Stanti.
The year was 1966 when her father bought this estate comprising a home and cellars. Giovannella married in 1972 and comically refers to Volpaia village as her dowry. ‘This time witnessed a significant shift from sharecroppers to paid workers,’ explains Giovannella. Earlier, dwellers received land and housing, and in turn, half their produce went to the property owner. These arrangements witnessed a turn of events, property owners had to start paying salaries, and the prevalent economic setup was no longer viable. As a consequence, people moved away, leaving the landowners with somewhat deserted villages like this one.
Her father initially acquired a portion of the Volpaia estate, but he continued to expand it whenever properties became available. Giovanella and her husband, Carlo Mascheroni, embarked on the task of modernizing the winery and vineyards, as well as renovating houses in the village (they own two-thirds of them). Many of these houses are rented to tourists, maintaining a year-round population of 50.
Volpaia owns 48 hectares of vineyards at altitudes ranging between 450 and 600 m, some of the highest in the area. All these are located in Radda. They have been farming organically since 2000. Lorenzo Regoli has been the winemaker here since 2001.
Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico 2021
This blend features 10% Merlot. It’s smooth, refined, and stylish, characterized by a central theme of sweet cherry and plum fruit. It’s both juicy and well-tailored, exhibiting some flesh along with a solid framework. Indeed impressive. Its score is 93/100.
Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva 2018
100% Sangiovese. It’s warm and spicy with some savoury hints and slight oak influence, along with ripe cherry and plum fruit. It possesses a grainy structure with traces of minerals. Its score is 92/100.
Castello di Volpaia Maremma Riserva 2019 Tuscany, Italy
They own 12 hectares in the Maremma region. Characterized by ripe and lush sweet black cherries and blackberries, it exhibits an appealing balance of lushness and structure. Luxurious and ripe. 92/100
Castello di Volpaia Coltassala Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019
Comes with 14.5% alcohol content. It brings an intense and firm flavor of sweet black cherries and blackberries, complemented by fine spicy notes. Its loveable intensity and pleasant grip make this selection super stylish. 94/100
Castello di Volpaia Coltassala Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020
Sports 14% alcohol. It tempts with an intriguing nose of sweet red cherries subtly infused with hints of wax, sap, and liquorice. The palate is pure, linear, and elegant with a lovely texture to the bright pure red fruits, finishing supple with some fine tannins. A truly pure, elegant style of Chianti Classico. 94/100
Castello di Volpaia Il Puro Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019
Contains 14% alcohol. It strikes with superb balance, a fine-grained structure underpinning restrained but nicely concentrated berry fruits. Possesses a hint of old wood and olive, with some dried herbs completing the mix. This selection is very fine and balanced, indicating a good potential to age well. 95/100
Castello di Volpaia Balifico 2016 Toscana
This supertuscan was first made in 1985, and it’s a blend of 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 70% Sangiovese. Firmly structured with real intensity to the blackcurrant and spice flavours, beginning to show some evolution. Nice weight here. 93/100