Castello dei Rampolla | Tuscany

Castello dei Rampolla is located in the heart of the Conca d’Oro, a bowl shaped valley below Panzano and is recognised as one of Italy’s greatest terroirs. The land here has been in the family since 1739, but vines were not planted until the end of the 1960s, when Alceo di Napoli Rampolla inherited the estate. 

In the late 1970’s, Alceo, with the help of legendary winemaking consultant 'Giacomo Tachis' (who created Sassicaia), planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon vines and in 1980 the first vintage of the now legendary Sammarco was made. Biodynamic since 1994, the estate is now run by Alceo’s children Luca and Maurizia and in 1996 Vigna d’Alceo was added, a highly concentrated biodynamic Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot blend.

Winemaking is very natural and virtually no sulphur is used, indeed in most vintages since 2010, an IGT Sangiovese has been made, fermented and aged in amphorae and with no added sulphur, whilst Luca is also currently experimenting with orange wines. In all there are 42 hectares of vineyards producing 12,000 cases in an average year, the majority of this being Chianti Classico. The Cabernet Sauvignon based wines from here regularly garner some of the highest critic’s scores in Tuscany and remain remarkable value.