Vitae 2025: awards for Podere il Castellaccio

Vtae 2025: awards for Podere Il Castellaccio: Associazione Italiana Sommelier awarded the Rosso Toscana Valente 2020 with 4 Viti.

4 Viti Vite 2025 Podere il Castellaccio

Rosso Toscana Valente 2020 IGT

Grapes: 70% Sangiovese 30% mix of foglia tonda & pugnitello.
Training System: Spurred cordon.
Harvest: Late September/early October.
Vinification: Fermented and macerated in oak barrels at controlled temperature.
Ageing: 12 months in 20 hl barrels and 12 months in the bottle.

TASTING NOTES:
Dark, luminous ruby red colour predominant aromas include refined spices, sour cherry and blackcurrants, balsamic notes, vanilla and resinated aromas of mediterranean pine; a highly classical expression of a native tuscan wine.
On the palate the tannin is dense and elegant, and heading towards a soft, velvety feel. to bring out the best in the wine, match with local products, such as cheeses, cured meats, pasta with meat sauce or grilled meats.

logo castellaccio

The passion of one man marks the beginning of the history of Podere Il Castellaccio. In the 1960s, Luigi Corradini, the maternal grandfather of current owner Alessandro Scappini, found an estate of 18 hectares on the hills of Castagneto Carducci. The area is Bolgheri, a place that was not yet world famous and had nothing to recommend it other than the essence of the land and the potential it had to produce great wine.
To plant his first vineyards Luigi was only able to use grapes that were native to the Chianti and Scansano area. Thus were Pugnitello, Foglia Tonda, Sangiovese planted – just a few hectares, native wine varieties and a small wine cellar. Over the years, the management of the estate gradually transitioned into the hands of his son Roberto.

However, it was only in 2009 that the winery Podere Il Castellaccio was founded by Alessandro Scappini, the third generation in charge of the estate.
Alessandro Scappini, born and raised in Bolgheri, decided indeed to work with a 60 years old family vineyard planted with ancient varieties.

In the meantime he also starts growing the signature grapes of the DOC and makes his debut on the market with its first Bolgheri wine with the vintage 2015.

His path inside the DOC is completed in the vintage 2018 when his Bolgheri Superiore Il Castellaccio is born and it was released for the first time on the market at the begin of 2021.

Podere Il Castellaccio is situated in Castagneto Carducci, across the seaward side of Segalari Hills, at an altitude of 194 meters a.s.l.

Alessandro Scappini

Due to its geographic position, the vineyards enjoy  a Mediterranean climate, with more solar radiations, a  better thermal excursion and a higher ventilation.

Not only Bolgheri 

A sip from the past, while looking to the future” is the catchphrase used by this highly-manicured Bolgheri winery.

The family passion and the expertise added by the winemaker Attilio Pagli have the aim to tell the story of the region through the salvaging of ancient varieties that are inextricably linked to the tradition of Tuscan wine, specifically in the area of Bolgheri.
The older vineyards, occupying more than 2 hectares, are planted with Tuscan natives Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Foglia Tonda and Pugnitello.
castellaccio's wines

More info?
Take a look at the website and follow the producer on the socials

Vitae 2025: awards for Palazzone

Vtae 2025: awards for Palazzone: Associazione Italiana Sommelier awarded the Orvieto Classico Superiore Campo del Guardiano 202 with 4 Viti.

Campo del Guardiano 2021
This wine comes from the most beautiful piece of land on our estate, renown to generations of local farmers as Campo del Guardiano. Following bottling this Orvieto Classico Superiore is aged in Palazzone’s cellar for many months. The complexity, the aromas and the freshness of the fruit remain intact for years proving the wine’s astonishing capacity to age beautifully.

GRAPES: Procanico 50% Grechetto 30% Verdello, Malvasia 20%

TASTING NOTES: intense straw color with sharp green reflections. The nose is protound, retineds and prolonged; on the palate silky and well structured, vibrant and persistent.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: with dishes that are not only powerful but also restrained and delicately balanced, recipes of veal, fowl, and pork, in the finest Umbrian tradition.

Palazzone Vinibuoni Guide 2022

In 1969 the Dubini family bought the property “Palazzone”, constructed by Cardinal Teodorico at the bidding of Pope Boniface VIII as a hostel for pilgrims on their way to Rome to celebrate the Jubilee of 1300 A.D. Today after a restoration with respect for the noble architecture, “Palazzone” is a boutique hotel with elegant suites. The hilly portion of the land adjacent to Rocca Ripesena, with its superb view of Orvieto on its majestic crag, consisted of sedimentary soil and clay.
Angelo Dubini decided to plant 25 hectares to vines of varieties that he expected would make wine of great complexity and character. In 1982 his two sons, Giovanni and Lodovico, made the first small vintage from these grapes. In1988 their vintage was sufficient to justify the construction of a winery to process all their own grapes and also to organise and begin the commercial marketing of what is now “Palazzone” wine regarded as one of the most significant labels in Umbria.

PALAZZONE IS UNIQUE

Unique in the land: Unique for the combination of clays and the rocks that constitute the soil of the 24 hectares of our vineyards; a stratification of ancient seabeds, rivers and centuries of Etruscan history.

Unique in the grapes: Unique in the particular union of our traditional varieties. each with its distinctive character.
Unique in the craftsmanship: Unique in the creative and productive methods, in the pursuit of quality and with margin for personal interpretation.
Unique in the longevity: Unique because we are “Wine Artisans.” Years of experience and commitment have taught us to further the powers of our land to bring forth age worthy wines.

More info?
Take a look at the website and follow the producer on the socials

New awards for Cantina di Santadi

Silver for Santadi's Rocca Rubia

New awards for Cantina di Santadi: Kerin O’Keefe rated the Terre Brune, Noras and Antigua with respectively 93, 92 and 91 Points.

Since 1960, vini fatti con arte.

 The Cantina di Santadi Winery is located in the Sulcis area, in South-western Sardinia, just a few miles as the crow flies from the dazzling beaches and white sand dunes of Porto Pino. It was established in 1960, and after some start-up difficulties, a new management gave it a decisive boost, driven by strong determination which fanned enthusiasm and passion.

Thus the Winery embarked on an ambitious programme, adopting new strategies and clear targets, streamlining its operations and issuing coherent guidelines to its member grape growers.

Carignano Vine: Prince of the territory of Sulcis
Wise use of French barriques gives a perfect, harmonious finishing touch to the development of these superb wines. The great reds: Terre Brune, Rocca Rubia, Noras, Araja, Grotta Rossa and Antigua, are accompanied by stylish whites: Villa di Chiesa, Cala Silente, Pedraia, Villa Solais, Latinia, all offsprings of an ancient winemaking tradition coupled with the use of state-of-the-art technology in the sectors of vinification, stabilization and bottling.

The wines: Sulcis’ Excellences
Good wine is born in the vineyard – our job is to enhance grape quality through skilful cultivation, and then, in the winery, to make the best use of this gift of nature. The Santadi Winery processes mainly black grapes, about 75% of total production. The most important varieties are Carignano, Monica, Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot and Bovaleddu as regards the reds, and Vermentino, Nuragus, Chardonnay and Nasco for the whites.

Vineyard cultivation methods are carefully designed to maintain low production per plant and so maximise grape quality.

…discover more…take a look at their website 

I 1000 vini d’Italia 2025: L’Espresso

I 1000 vini d’Italia 2025 – L’ Espresso: Zenato‘s Amarone Riserva Sergio Zenato 2018 and Cresasso 2018 received respectively 96 and 95 Points.

AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA RISERVA SERGIO ZENATO 2018

World Wine Awards Decanter 2022
Points
0

Produced only in top vintages, this graceful wine is made from a selection of Corvina and Rondinella grapes grown in the oldest vineyards in the township of Sant’Ambrogio in Valpolicella’s “classic” zone.

Following vinification, it undergoes long-term aging for at least 4 years in Slavonian oak casks.

It represents the very identity of the winery and its legacy throughout the world – a wine that can age and be enjoyed for more than 20 years.

With luminous and dense color, elegant complexity and a wonderf

CORVINA VERONESE
CRESASSO
2018

zenato cresasso bottle
Points
0

Made from Corvina Veronese, this single-vineyard designate wine is deeply connected to the land where it is grown.

Its intense, deep ruby red color tinges the glass as its thick, lingering legs slide down the edges.

On the nose, it delivers a spectrum of delicious and enchanting red fruit, blueberry, and blackberry notes that evolve into intense aromas of black cherry, cooked prune and jam.

It’s ideal for grilled meats, roast meats, game, and grilled sausage. It also pairs wonderfully with aged cheeses and rich tomato sauces prepared with herbs.

The story of Zenato is the story of a family that firmly planted its roots in the land. It was made possible thanks to the passion and entrepreneurial vision of the estate’s founder, Sergio, who managed to fulfill his greatest dream: to create a winery capable of harvesting the fruits of the earth and transform them into emotions with matchless flavor.

Today, more than 60 years later, the results are testament to his extraordinary vision. A wonderful story took shape thanks to his vision and today its star is his family: Wife Carla and children Alberto and Nadia.
Their eyes and their heart continue down the path that Sergio laid out with great clarity as he steadied the course toward quality and love for their land. Over time, that land wasn’t just Lugana but also Valpolicella, with its celebrated red wines and their matchless aromas.

family foto Zenato