The History and Wines of Carpineto

HISTORY

Carpineto is a partnership between the award winning winemaker Giovanni C. Sacchet and the dynamic Antonio M. Zaccheo, offering a product line of wines spanning from the most prestigious Tuscan DOCG appellations to varietal specific wines of great structure as well as innovative proprietary blends. The winery is widely regarded as one of the quality leaders on the Italian winemaking landscape, exporting the majority of the wine production to over 30 countries worldwide. About 90% of Carpineto's wine production is red wine, 65% of this being "riserva" wines that are aged three or more years before their release date. Since Carpineto generally ages their red wines six to twelve months longer than the minimum time required by DOCG appellation rules the cellars hold at least three consecutive vintages of wine at any given time. This long aging period has allowed Carpineto to build a reputation for high quality and consistency, vintage after vintage.

Carpineto was established in 1967 in the small historic settlement of Dudda, in the township of Greve in Chianti, with the mission of making world class Chianti Classico. This was a radical departure from the marketplace of the Sixties, when the industry was focused on the production of Chianti in the traditional winemaking style sold in the typical "fiasco" bottle. The visionary founders, captured by the Tuscan landscape, the soil and the climate, immediately saw the untapped potential this land possessed to produce great wines. By applying modern viticultural and winemaking methods they set their goals far beyond the quality standards traditional viticultural and winemaking methods were yielding at the time. With this premise, the unyielding determination of their youth, and an uncompromising focus on making the best wines this land could produce the Carpineto mission of marrying tradition with innovation had set sail.

The Carpineto winemaking style is to deliver wines that are full bodied, complex and fruity in character, with a round, supple tannin structure and a long, persistent, clean finish. Despite their approachability upon release, Carpineto's red wines are designed for long cellar aging of twenty years or longer.

Besides the classical varieties of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Carpineto makes some very innovative red and  white varieties.  Some of these are listed here.  Be sure to check their web site for full descriptions of these and all their products (www.carpineto.com).

DOGAJOLO

This red variety is not a chianti, and is not a 'table wine' but needs to be described as a 'red Tuscan wine'.  In Italy these all mean different things. Dogajolo is i.g.t. which means it's better than a table wine but is not doc or docg which has to adhere to very strict rules.  It's 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, making it a rather special wine, especially because it costs so little for what it is.

FARNITO CABERNET SAUVIGNON

This is a beautiful wine and it's described as a 'Supertuscan'.  It's made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is a very famous award-winning wine and the winemaker Giancarlo Sacchet was the first Italian to be awarded the 'Robert
Mondavi Winemaker of the Year Award' in 1994.  Farnito also has a Chardonnay (100%) , a Sauvignon Bianco (100%) and a Farnito Chardonnay Spumante (100% Chardonnay).

APPODIATI WINES

Carpineto has two very wonderful 'Appodiati' wines.  Appodiati means that each one is grown on a small, special vinyard in Montepulciano near Siena.  One is called 'Molin Vecchio' and is made from cloned rootstocks: 70% Sangiovese clone, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon clone and 20% Syrah (Shiraz) clone. The other one is called 'Poggio Sant'Enrico' and is made from 100% Sangiovese clone.  Both these wines are described as i.g.t., the same as Dogajolo.

For more information about their wines visit their website: