Castello dei Rampolla

Castello dei Rampolla is located at a beautiful location in the heart of Chianti Classico in the village of Panzano. On the left side of the state you can see the famous winery Tenuta la Massa and at the right side of Rampolla within casting distance is the famous house Fontodi. It is safe to say that Castello dei Rampolla is located in the heart of the top of Tuscany.

The Rampolla estate has been in the family since 1739, but the first vines were only planted in the 1960s. The first wines were produced in 1975. The winery is one of the revolutionary wineries that dared to plant French grape varieties in the 1980s and blend them with sangiovese. Also known as the birth of the 'Super Tuscans'. These proposed table wines became a complete success and Castello dei Rampolla surprisingly rose to the top of Tuscany in one fell swoop. Alceo di Napoli Rampolla, worked with Giacomo Tachis (then winemaker of Sassicaia, Tignanelo and Solaia).

Rampolla not only imitated the Bordeaux blend, but also drew inspiration for their label from Chateau Margaux. The logo on the bottle is identical to that of Chateau Margaux. This is where Alceo drew a lot of inspiration from and is therefore a memento of the beginning of his vision in planting French grape varieties and implementing Bordeaux blends.

The vineyards have a total area of 42 hectares and are planted at an altitude of 350 meters. In addition to the two aforementioned grape varieties, here you will also find Merlot, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, Trebbiano, Traminer and Sauvignon Blanc. The vines are maintained and processed according to biodynamic regulations.

Between 1994 and 1998, the siblings Maurizia and Luca initiated a very important stage of development, when they successfully converted Castello dei Rampolla step by step to organic and near-natural cultivation. They prioritize quality by reducing grape yield, nurturing vines at 360 meters above sea level. Through biodynamic methods, including grass cover and 'flow shaping,' they maintain vibrant vineyards. Limited production of d'Alceo and Sammarco wines, 6,000 to 25,000 bottles yearly, underscores their commitment to excellence.

Seven different wines appear from the Rampolla cellar. Of these, five are red, one orange and one sweet vendemmia tardiva. The absolute top cuvées are d'Alceo and Sammarco. The wines are fermented in tanks and then matured in oak barrels for 12-15 months. The wines are marketed after 1.5 to 2 years of bottle maturation.

Last summer I visited the winery. It really is a classic winery. It is a homely atmosphere and is welcomed by one of the employees, no tour guides as you see more and more these days. We were shown all the processes and also got to speak to people from the vineyard who were working at that time.

If you have the opportunity, it is recommended to plan a tasting. You get to taste older and new vintages with attentive explanations about what has been changed and improved per vintage over the years.

Top Castello dei Rampolla vintages are: 1997, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020.

FACTS

Year Founded: 1709
Owner: Maurizia and Luca di Napoli
Annual production: approx. 90,000 bottles
Vineyard: approx. 42 hectares
Natural cultivation