Rocca di Castagnoli

Rocca di Castagnoli is a splendid estate located in the heart of the vineyards of Gaiole in Chianti, which is part of the Tenute Calì Group, which has always been committed to producing quality wines strongly linked to terroir. Rocca di Castagnoli represents the original nucleus of the estate. This noble and ancient Chianti Classico property was acquired in 1981. Its origins are very ancient. In the 18th century it belonged to the Tempi family and was then owned by Baron Ricasoli until the 1950s. This first acquisition was joined in 2004 by the Graffetta estate, which is located in southeastern Sicily, between Modica and Noto, in an area particularly suited for the cultivation of Nero d'Avola.

Over the following years, the Calì Group's properties were also enriched by the Poggio Maestrino estate, which is located in Magliano, in the lands of the Tuscan Maremma, home of Morellino di Scansano. Rocca di Castagnoli is an ancient medieval fortress and has always been the agricultural soul of the nearby village. Since ancient times, it has always stood out for the excellence of its wines. Already renowned in the time of Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, in 1924 it became part of the estates that created the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium. The purchase by Tenute Calì coincided with a vast and profound program of renovation, which took the form of a restoration of the historic buildings and the replanting of the vineyards according to more modern logic, but remaining faithful to the tradition of the area.

The Rocca di Castagnoli estate occupies a hilly area overlooking the valley and covers a total area of 850 hectares, about 90 of which are planted with vineyards and the rest with forest, pastures and olive groves. The vineyards are located at an altitude between 350 and 650 meters above sea level in an area characterized by a mild, sunny and always well-ventilated climate. The suitable soils and good temperature ranges, allow grapes of excellent quality to ripen, with special attention reserved for Sangiovese, the area's main grape variety. The ancient buildings of the Rocca have been used as aging cellars, and a new winemaking facility, equipped in modern fashion, has been built.