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 Take
a tour of Classic Vineyards in ........ Toscana
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Estate name |
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Avignonesi |
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Region |
Sub-Region |
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Toscana |
Montepulciano |
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Classification |
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Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG |
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General Notes |
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In 1974 the Falvo brothers, owners of vineyards in the district of Cortona, purchased Avignonesi and redeveloped it investing greatly in wine production. They selected the local varieties and additionally introduced classical ones such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir. |
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Vineyard Notes |
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Today, Avignonesi consists of four wine-producing estates: Le Capezzine, I Poggetti, La Selva and La Lombarda. In total they comprise 225 hectares of open ground, 109 ha of vineyards and 3 ha of olive groves.
Of the four estates, two are in Montepulciano and two in the DOC zone of Cortona, to the east of Montepulciano in the foothills of the Apennines.
Ettore Falvo has employed his passion for alberello (bush or gobelet) training in the new vineyards. New Sangiovese vineyards are planted at a density of 7500 vines per hectare, the alberello method ensures earlier ripening, something which has given fuller, riper wines than Montepulciano was previously capable of producing.
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Wine Notes |
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The 2002 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a blend of 80% Sangiovese (or Prugnolo Gentile, as it is known in this area), 15% Canaiolo and 5% Mammolino, combines this ripeness with great elegance. It has good
intensity of spicy fruit on the palate with wonderful balance, depth and supple tannins. The latter in particular mark it out from other pretenders to Montepulciano’s throne. The outstanding Vino Nobile produced by
Avignonesi (and by extension in Montepulciano) is their Grandi Annate, a blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. The ‘younger brother’ of the Vino Nobile is the Avignonesi Rosso, a blend of equal parts of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (and for this reason, not a Rosso di Montepulciano).
It is full, rich and accessible, with an attractively scented character and superb balance. Given the quality, it offers excellent value.
Avignonesi’s white wines come from fruit grown on their La Selva estate in Cortona. The 2004 Bianco, an unoaked blend of 40% Chardonnay and 60% Sauvignon Blanc, has good weight and perfume and a racy,
gulpable fruit on the palate. The Marzocco is a blend of 85% Chardonnay and 15% Sauvignon Blanc and the wine is aged and fermented in arriques for six months. It is rich and smoky with superb intensity. La
Selva is also responsible for the grapes that go into Desiderio, a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has the fleshy intensity that characterizes the best Tuscan Merlots, but is given definition by its superb tannin structure. Even more sought after than Desiderio and the Grandi Annate is the 50 & 50, an outstanding and iconoclastic blend of one half Merlot from Avignonesi and one half Sangiovese from the Capanelle estate in Gaiole Chianti Classico.
Undoubtedly their greatest wine is the Vin Santo, aged in caratelli for nine years prior to bottling, during which time it acquires a remarkable degree of intensity. Though rich and sweet, it finishes dry and long.
Only 3000 half bottles were produced, but we have now sold out of the 1992 vintage. We also have a small quantity of 1991 Occhio di Pernice, their Vin Santo made solely from Sangiovese (only 700 half bottles
were produced). These two wines rank among the world’s greatest sweet wines.
The Falvo family have also expanded into Puglia (see Li Veli), where they are making some outstanding wines.
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