THE COMPANIES

In 1974 the Avignonesi winery was launched in Montepulciano. Local varieties of grapes such as Sangiovese were planted together with classic "imported" varieties, extending the properties in the Montepulciano and Cortona areas.

Since 2008 the winery has seen a change of ownership going from the Falvo family to Virginie Saverys, director of Belgian shipping companies.

Nowadays, 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, 110 ha of vineyards and 3 ha of olive groves. The heart of the company is the estate Le Capezzine, near Valiano di Montepulciano, which has been impeccably restored. It contains spacious cellars for vinification, for ageing and storing, the vinsantaia, warehouses and offices .

People of Reference
Virginie Saverys, president; Paolo Trappolini, enologist; Giovanni Bianchi, agronomist; Salvatore Bassanelli, in charge of the vineyards; Piergiorgio Tacconi, head cellar man.

The Vineyards
As from the early 80s, Avignonesi has initiated an intense experimentation in the field in the area of Cortona, which is still ongoing, on autochthonous and allochthonous varieties, on rootstocking, on systems of growing and on the density of the plant, and is undertaking a serious research into the recovery of a great number of Tuscan varieties which fell into disuse.   At the same pace, a continuous experimentation is being carried out in the cellar regarding the phenolic maturation of grapes, maceration, fermentation, and the use of woods, until arriving at over a hundred thesises on vinification per year in the last ten years.  The varieties, which have given the best qualitative results, are, among the whites, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and, amongst the reds, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.

In the farms of ‘La Selva’ and ‘La Lombarda’, which have a total of 71 hectares of specialised vineyards, a tri-annual programme is being carried out in the reconstitution of viticulture which foresees the planting of six new hectares of vineyards per year, which will, in part, be added to those already in existence and in part substitute those which have reached the end of their period and are expired.  The innovative choice of this new phase in viticulture is the alberello, or small tree.  The density is of 7,150 vines per hectare.  Production does not exceed 6,000 kilos.   The plantation order is the settonce pattern (a Latin method of placing a vine in the centre of a hexagon), that is an equilateral triangle with a work-way every 60°.  With such a layout, every vine finds itself in the centre of a regular hexagon formed by another six equidistant vines and each vine has a reserved portion of land, also having a regular hexagon shape which is the most suitable geometric shape to circumscribe the circle of its radical and aerial apparatus.  This means the most rational distribution of land per vinestock, maximum illumination and maximum ventilation; which brings quality and health to the grapes to a maximum.

The Products

- "Il Marzocco", Cortona Chardonnay DOC
- "Desiderio", Cortona Merlot DOC
- Cortona Sauvignon Blanc DOC
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG Reserve "Grandi Annate"
- Rosso di Montepulciano DOC
- Rosso, IGT Toscana
- 50&50, IGT Toscana
- Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC Occhio di Pernice
- Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC
- Grappa from grapes of Vin Santo
- Grappa from grapes of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
- Extra virgin olive oil

Direct Sales from the Company
Opening hours: 10-13, 14-17,

Onsite Visits
By appointment.

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Fattoria Le Capezzine

Lavorazione dei vigneti

La cantina