In 1974 the Falvo brothers, owners of the vineyards in the municipality of Cortona, took over Avignonesi and refounded it investing greatly in viniculture, selecting the local varieties and introducing classical ones such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir. Nowadays, Avignonesi consists of four wine-producing estates: Le Capezzine, I Poggetti, La Selva and La Lombarda. In total they comprise 229 hectares of open ground, 101 ha of vineyards and 8 ha of olive groves.
Le Capezzine (altitude 330 m)
Only a few kilometres from Montepulciano, close to the village of Valiano and among the hills of the Chiuso della Valdichiana, stands the 19th-century farm estate Le Capezzine. It is the heart of the company and it has been impeccably restored. It contains spacious cellars for vinification, cellars for ageing and storing, the vinsantaia, the frantoio (the olive oil mill), warehouses and offices. The estate comprises 22 hectares, of which 8 hectares of vineyards divided as follows: 6 of albarello vines in the "settonce" pattern; 1 dedicated to density experimentation ranging from 2,000 to 8,500 vines per hectare with six different rootstocks; and finally 1 dedicated to growing 33 ancient varieties indigenous to Montepulciano and the surrounding area, once highly esteemed, but today in danger of extinction. A further 2 hectares have been planted with olive trees.
The estate is also a stable for the breeding of the Murgese horse.
I Poggetti (altitude 290 m)
This estate is composed of two farms, all located within the boundary of Montepulciano, on the Argiano hills, where Avignonesi’s Vino Nobile has always been produced. The total land area is 68 hectares, 20 of which are used to cultivate prized clones of Prugnolo Gentile. Three hectares are planted with the Coreggiolo variety of olives which are used to produce the green and aromatic extravirgin olive oil typical of Montepulciano.
La Selva (altitude 300 m)
La Selva is situated at Cignano, on the hills of the Chiuso di Cortona and consists of 4 farms – La Selva, Val di Capraia, Paggino and Pian dell’Oca, four superior locations dedicated to the cultivation of classical vine varieties.
It covers a total area of 96 hectares, 53 of which are vineyards and 3 olive groves. Here are grown the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc.
La Lombarda (altitude 300 m)
This is a 43-hectare farm located close to Le Capezzine and within the uncontaminated countryside of the Chiuso della Valdichiana hills. The soil here is particularly well suited to vine growing. Since 1997 a replanting programme has been in operation to add a further 29 hectares of new vineyards necessary to maintain production levels.
Visit the Avignonesi website.
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