La Capanna di Cencioni is an estate winery in the Montosoli area in the north of the Montal

cino region of Tuscany, Italy. Its red wines include Sant’Antimo Rosso DOC, Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. A Moscadello di Montalcino DOC sweet white made from Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Muscat de Frontignan) is also made.

Owner: The Cencioni family since 1957. Giuseppe Cencioni (founder), assisted by his sons Benito and Franco, was one of the first companies of Brunello. They began bottling their wines in the 1960s. In 1967, the year after Brunello di Montalcino gained AOC status, Giuseppe also founded the Consorzio del Brunello together with 25 other producers. Capanna is still run by the Cencioni family, Patrizio and his son Amedeo take care of both vineyards and cellars.

Vineyards: 2012 69ha of land, of which 19ha of vineyards in Montosoli. Of these there were 12ha of Brunello (30,000 bottles), 2.5ha of Rosso di Montalcino (28,000 bottles), 1.5ha of Sangiovese Sant’Antimo, and 2.5ha of Moscadello di Montalcino and 1ha of Merlot. | 2020 25ha of vines. 19ha Sangiovese, the rest Moscato and others. Vines in Canalicchio (not Le Gode) too. South-south-east facing.

Winery: The wine cellar, initially located in the oldest farm building, was progressively expanded at the same time as the vineyard, while preserving all the construction and architectural elements typical of the Tuscan countryside. It is positioned inside a basement cellar made up of a charming stone gallery and of original farm rooms renovated over the years.

Winemaking: The red wines ferment in a mix of stainless steel and conical oak vats for the best Sangiovese grapes. Alcoholic fermentation with maceration of the skins (30-35 days on skins) at a controlled temperature. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurs both in truncated cone-shaped Slavonian oak casks and vats (from 10 to 30 hl). 36 months for the Brunello.

Red wines

Sant’Antimo Rosso DOC: 2010 4,260 bottles. Simple minty tight, clean, OK (Anteprima 2014). | 2017 3,700 bottles.

Rosso del Cero: 2013 Decent black fruit, simple, fluid at Emanuela’s with Fra, Sa, Sil, Arth and Francy on Sunday 19th April 2015.

Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Capanna: 2010 20,400 bottles. Nice nose and palate, and good weight (Anteprima 2013). | 2011 Bright fruit, ripe and showing some evolution from wood ageing (at the consorzio with Ian d’Agata Tuesday 28th May 2013). | 2012 16,000 bottles. OK, bit tight and stalky/green but does have blackcurrant fruit (Anteprima 2014). | 2013 21,200 bottles. Simple plump black and red fruit, nice texture, good (Anteprima 2015). | 2014 Pretty nose, red fruit, bright, bit simple but crisp and appetising with a hint of confection (Anteprima 2016). | 2018 35,000 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Capanna: 2000 Nice tight style of fruit and new oak, but restrained, well selected, perhaps slightly lower yields needed, but good (Anteprima 2005). | 2008 27,822 bottles. Showing some development, but still lots of fruit and depth, good clear style (Anteprima 2013). | 2009 32,464 bottles. Quite sweet blackcurrant style-bit clumsy and old-fashioned (Anteprima 2014). | 2009 Odd nose. Smells pressy, bit green and grubby. Bitter tannins but the weight is good and the fruit is really nice if faint. With a bit of TLC in terms of selection (bit more complexity, maybe slightly lower yields) and winemaking (tidier) this could be really lovely. Overall, picnic wine with honest frankness at the Consorzio Tues 27th May 2014 with Ian d’Agata and others. | 2010 30,000 bottles. Dull, a bit metallic (Anteprima 2015). | 2011 Very seductive, upfront style (Anteprima 2016). | 2013 14.5%. Nice classic Brunello with savoury fruit with plenty of texture (NYC 28 June 2019). | 2015 39,000 bottles. | 2014 A 2014 with ripeness and depth, still finding its feet but promising effort (Anteprima 2019). 

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva, Capanna: On 02 Oct 2014 someone from the estate told me this came from various plots of old vines, not from one plot in particular. 3.5 years ageing in wood. | 2006 Released. | 2010 Bit of bake but seductive (Anteprima 2016). | 2013 The estate’s 50th vintage and the 60th anniversary of the farm. 14.5% alc. Amedeo told me (by phone 27 Jan 2021) ‘2013 was a normal season. Not too hot at all. Good acidity. Good pH 3.40. A nice surprise. 3.5 years ageing in wood.’

Sweet white wines

Moscadello di Montalcino DOC: 2013 5,780 bottles. | 2018 10% Alc. (L12-18). Lacked clarity (August 2020). | 2018 9,400 bottles.

Moscadello di Montalcino DOC, Vendemmia Tardiva: 2010 4,880 bottles. | 2010 4,880 bottles. | 2012 3,700 bottles. | 2016 990 bottles.

Contact

La Capanna di Cencioni

Loc. Capanna, 333

I-53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.848298 | Website: www.capannamontalcino.com