Winemaker Notes
Caparzo's Brunello di Montalcino La Casa can be considered a true enological gem, and not just in terms of Montalcino. La Casa derives its name from having been the farm where some of the tenant farmers who worked for the owners of Palazzo Montosoli, which is at a distance of a few hundred meters, lived. The first vintage of Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa was produced in 1977. At the time little was known of terroir, and little attention was paid to the concept of zonation, which had only recently been introduced to Montalcino. In this case Caparzo was once again a pace setter, producing a "Single Vineyard" Brunello from one of the finest vineyards in the Appellation. With Brunello di Montalcino La Casa, Caparzo also was one of the first wineries to introduce barriques to Montalcino, producing a wine with an polite, elegant spirit. Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa is the fruit of a unique terroir, and expresses all of Caparzo's passion and experience in producing excellent wines.
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesAn intense, muscular red hallmarked by black currant, black cherry, stony mineral and sanguine flavors. Reveals a meaty character midpalate, with sinewy yet refined tannins holding court on the finish. Fine balance and length. Best from 2025.
The origins of the place named Caparzo are still unknown. According to some people, the name is derived, as shown by ancient maps, from Ca’ Pazzo; according to others, the term should derive from the Latin Caput Arsum, indicating "a place touched by sun”. The history of Caparzo dates back to the end of the 1960s at the dawning of Brunello di Montalcino, when a group of friends, fond of Tuscany and of wine, purchased an old ruin with vineyards at Montalcino. The farm estate was renovated, modernized, and new vineyards were planted. In a short time, Caparzo made itself known in the Brunello market. In 1998, 30 years after the first rows of vines were planted, the farm estate came to a turning point when Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini purchased Caparzo. With the help of her son, Igino, and daughter, Alessandra, she immediately carried out her objective: combining tradition with innovation to create a high-quality wine that is the expression of an excellent territory.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.