Capannelle: Boutique Charm in the Heart of Chianti
By Kimberlee Preish
Photo By Mayte Almada
Last weekend, our TuttoToscana Wine Service team and Chef Brad Hindsley visited the Capannelle winery in Gaiole in Chianti, in the Chianti Classico wine territory. Capannelle is owned by James B. Sherwood, founder and shareholder of the Orient – Express Hotels LTD. Although the Gaiole property represents a small boutique winery, its sights are overwhelmingly gorgeous and its wines are represented in high quality restaurants around the world. Our trip started with a tour led by Giulia, a Capannelle employee since May. We traveled underneath the tasting room into the wine cellar and immediately noticed the sweet aromas of the grapes in the process of becoming wine. The rooms were filled with gigantic steel vats and oak casks (which is where they age the Chianti Classico Riserva for 18 months). Then we stepped into a long room filled with small barriques, and this instantly became my favorite room of the entire estate. The Solare, 50&50, and even the Chardonnay all spend some time in these small barriques during their aging and refining process. Because the Solare is aged in smaller oak casks than the Chianti Classico Riserva, the oaky flavor is very evident when tasting this wine.
After the tour we were able to enjoy a wine tasting of the Chianti Classico Riserva, Solare, and their newest wine, the Rosato, while Giulia explained each of their characteristics more in depth. I found her presentation to be extremely helpful because the TuttoToscana team will be serving the Chianti Classico Riserva and the Solare at the James Beard Foundation Dinner in New York. The Solare was her personal favorite; it is identified as a relaxing wine because it can be enjoyed without a food pairing due to the complexity and many flavors present in the wine. On the other hand, I loved the Chianti Classico Riserva because it really represents what a true Chianti Classico should taste like; it is full of rustic elegance and extracts the heart of Tuscan culture.
The final wine we tasted was the Rosato, which is a rosé. This wine is not yet on the market, but is scheduled to be released in April in time for the summer! Due to my American background, I have never been a fan of rosés because most of the bottles I’ve tasted tended to be sweeter, perhaps for certain US taste categories. However, this wine changed my perception because the sweetness was subtle; the Rosato was fresh and light with hints of strawberries. I honestly cannot wait to purchase this item once it reaches the U.S. market.
At the end of this perfect afternoon, we were able to speak with Manuele Verdelli, the commercial director, and Simone Monciatti, the technical manager. Their insight combined with the boutique style of their estate gave a truly personal and family-like ambiance.