Azienda Agricola Casavecchia alla Piazza is an organic winery in Castellina in Chianti in the Chianti Classico DOCG region of Tuscany.

Owner: Gabriele Buondonno.

Background: The farm known as Casavecchia alla Piazza appears clearly on the maps of the “Capitani di Parte Guelfa” in 1549 and is marked as the “place of Lionardo Buonarroti”, nephew to Michelangelo. From the letters that passed between the uncle – 74 years old and living in Rome – and his nephew, we learn that the farm was bought by Michelangelo and that even then the wine they produced already had an excellent reputation: “I would rather have two barrels of Trebbiano than eight shirts,” Michelangelo writes to Leonardo, adding that he needs them as a gift for the Pope.

Staff: Consultant: Fabrizio Tomas.

Vineyards: 2007 7ha.

Organic certification: 1989 Join Coordinamento Toscano Produttori Biologici (their registration number is 17). | 2000 First vintage with full organic certification via QC&I. | 2007 Certified organic by QC&I.

Red wines

Toscana Rosso IGT, Buondonno: From younger vines or from older vineyards where there is a higher degree of fertility and thus the yield is higher. Mainly Sangiovese, but occasionally small percentages of other grapes (Syrah and Merlot) are present from other vineyards on the farm.

Toscana Rosso IGT, Lemme: 2020 80% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo Nero, 5% Malvasia Nera. 1,300 bottles.

Chianti Classico DOCG, Buondonno: The main wine. Around 25-30,000 bottles. From Sangiovese plus small amounts of Merlot and Syrah. Aged in small and medium sized oak casks, and in second and third passage barriques, for about a year, during which time it becomes richer and more rounded. | 1996 13%. Vegan. | 1997 Clean, restrained, fresh with extract, seems to have some CS, aromatic currants. | 2001 Ripe, black cherry and violet aromas and ripe, mouth-filling tannins, concentrated with good new oak, but still very young at Via San Quirico with Ingrid and Marcel on 30 Nov 2004. | 2013 Very nice fruit (Millésime Bio 2016). | 2016 95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot. Bright modernist nose, with some evidence of extraction; dries the palate a bit but the fruit is clear and savoury (Anteprima 2018). | 2019 100% Sangiovese. 28,000 bottles.

Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, Buondonno: From the best Sangiovese grapes to the south of Casavechia and in the small Sicelle vineyard. Both sites are stony and produce low yields. | 1997 Vegan suitable. | 2001 Vegan suitable. | 2015 100% Sangiovese. | 2019 97% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo Nero. 7,ooo bottles.

Merlot di Toscana: From 0.5ha of Merlot planted in 1999. Fermented in cement vats. Aged in barriques and tonneaux for about one year, light filtering followed by bottling.

Campo ai Ciliegi, Toscana Rosso IGT: Campo ai Ciliegi (‘cherry tree field’) is a small vineyard planted with Syrah. A line of wild cherry trees run along its top edge. Syrah is the predominant grape in the wine but Merlot and Sangiovese in variable amounts according to the vintage may also be included. Fermented in stainless steel vats. Aged in 225 and 300 litre barriques where the malolactic fermentation takes place and the wine ages for 15-18 months. | 2001 Syrah. | 2003 Syrah.

Other crops & activities: Grappa di Vinace di Chianti Classico (42%, 50cl). Guesthouse. Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Contact

Casavecchia alla Piazza

Loc. Casavecchia alla Piazza

53035 Castellina in Chianti (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577 749754 | Website: www.buondonno.com

Bibliography

Visit with Mr Steve and Mrs Paige Walter on Wednesday 17th October 2001.