TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA

CountBonacossi and the members of his family run this beautiful estate and villa in the hills of Carmignano. World-famous wines and extra-virgin olive oil are the result of their labours.

The oldest written document on Capezzana dates back to the time of Charlemagne to a contract in AD 806 which states that the estate was rented out with vineyards and olive orchards. Various families owned the estate until the beginning of this century when it was inherited by the Bonacossi family.

The countryside is steeply hilly with an attractive mix of olive groves, vineyards, trees and small fields. All the olives for the Capezzana oil are grown on the estate. This has not always been easy to achieve as the area is prone to frost which can severely damage and even kill some of the trees.

The oil is blended from 45 per cent Moraiolo, 30 per cent Frantoio, 15 per cent Pendolino and ten per cent Leccino, though the mix might vary a little from year to year. The olives are hand-picked by brushing onto nets and then stone-ground. This is followed by the centrifugal separation of oil and solids. This half-and-half traditional and modern method is quite popular in Tuscany.

The result is a light and fresh aroma of apples, grass and leaves. The taste is smoothly sweet with a flavour reminiscent of salad leaves. There is plenty of pepper but the aftertaste is as sweet and smooth as the start.