Carpineta Fontalpino is an estate in Castelnuovo Berardenga in Siena province, Tuscany, Italy. Red wines are made under the Chianti Classico DOCG and Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG.

The name: The name of the estate derives from two historic places of the area of Montaperti. Carpineta refers to an area where typical trees characteristic of this area, with silver back leaves, called “Carpini” grow. Fontalpino is the name of a water source whose backdrop is the pine forests of Montaperti, the area where on 04th September 1260 the Battle of Montaperti took place.

Owner: The Cresti family, described as a ‘well-to-do family of architects and engineers’ (Bill Nesto & Frances Di Savino 2016, p.228). They bought the estate in 1980 (or have been proprietors of Carpineta Fontalpino since the 1960’s). The estate has been run since 2004 by Gioia Cresti and her brother Filippo. He handles sales and marketing whereas Gioia trained as an agronomist and oenologist (and also works as a consultant oenologist). She collaborated with Maurizio Castelli and from 1997 has collaborated with Carlo Ferrini.

Vineyards, wine production: 80 hectares (197 acres) of land in total. 23ha of vines producing 100,000 bottles (Gambero Rosso: 2015). Of this, 15ha is Chianti Classico DOCG and the rest is Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG. Sangiovese clones were obtained from the Guillaume and VCR (Rauscedo) nurseries (Bill Nesto & Frances Di Savino 2016, p.227). Low vigour vines are guyot pruned to encourage yield, high vigour vines are spur pruned to cordon to restrain it (Bill Nesto & Frances Di Savino 2016, p.227).

There are three Chianti Classico vineyards. San Piero comprises 3ha and lies at 275 metres (902 feet), clayey-silty-sandy soils. Ceretto comprises 4.5ha (11 acres) at 375 metres (1,230 feet), marl soils with patches of alberese. Petroio comprises comprises 7ha (17 acres) at 350 metres (1,148 feet) on marl mixed with alberese, galestro and macigno. The vines face from south to east, with Petroio also facing west.

Organic certification: 2018 Yes. | 2022 Yes.

Wine label: This shows the hill from which in his Inferno Dante imagined watching the Battle of Montaperti in 1260. One of the estate’s Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG vineyards may occupy land on which the battle was fought (Bill Nesto & Frances Di Savino 2016, p.227).

Red wines

Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG, Carpineta Fontalpino: From Montaperti. 230 m above sea level. South, south-east exposure. Double Guyot and Cordon de Royat. 2,700-3,000 vines/ha. Hand-picked. Sangiovese.

Chianti Classico DOCG Dofana: 2016 100% Sangiovese. Nice grip, youthful, mouthwatering acidity, satisfying (Anteprima 2018). | 2016 Well styled, can feel the strong if not over bearing hand of the winemaker behind this (Boot Camp 2018). 

Chianti Classico DOCG, Fontalpino: From the San Piero and Cerreto vineyards, Castelnuovo Berardenga. 350 m above sea level. South/east facing. Double Guyot/Cordon de Royat. 2,700-6,000 vines per ha. Hand picked. | 2009 100% Sangiovese. Ripe black cherry and redcurrants supported by good quality barrels, ripe and savoury fruit, concentrated but not over-bearing (Silver at DWWA 2013). | 2010 100% Sangiovese. Smoky blackberries, nice depth (DWWA 2013, Bronze). | 2016 100% Sangiovese. Nice grip, plenty of tannin but coated by savoury bright red fruit, bright too. Solid and savoury (Anteprima 2018).

Chianti Classico DOCG, Montaperto: 2016 100% Sangiovese. 13.5% alcohol. Clean fruit but too much extraction for me, leaves it a little soulless (Chianti Classico Boot Camp 2018). 

IGT Toscano Rosso IGT, Montaperto | Sangiovese, Alicante, Gamay. From Montaperti. 230 metres above sea level. South-east exposure. Double Guyot/Cordon de Royat. 6,600 vines/ha. Hand-picked.

IGT Toscano Rosso IGT, Do Ut Des: Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon. | 2010 33% each Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Sangiovese. Clear ripe berry fruit, ripe black fruit tannin, sweet and savoury, perfect weight a use of oak, ripe red cherries and violets (Silver, DWWA 2013).

IGT Toscano Rosso IGT, Dofana: From the Dofana vineyard. 230 metres above sea level. South-south-west exposure. Cordon de Royat. 6,600 vines/ha. Hand-picked. 50% Sangiovese, 50% Petit Verdot.

Contact

Carpineta Fontalpino

Fattoria Carpineta Fontalpino

Loc. Carpineta

Montaperti

53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.369219 | Website: www.carpinetafontalpino.it

Bibliography

Bill Nesto MW & Frances Di Savino, Chianti Classico, the Search for Tuscany’s Noblest Wine, (University of California Press, 2016).