Podere Il Carnasciale

About

Owners: Moritz Rogosky, his mother Bettina, and his daughter Carla-Elle
Winemaker: Marco Maffei
Vineyards: 5.5ha across five different sites, both estate-owned and rented
Vineyard management: Certified organic with some biodynamic practices
Soils: Varies by parcel, including sandstone, limestone, shell-based sand, rock, and clay
Grapes grown: Caberlot, Sangiovese
Annual production: 20,000 bottles

Quick facts:

• The Caberlot variety is cultivated exclusively at Podere Il Carnasciale.
• Wolf Rogosky gave “Caberlot” its name–it was previously only known by its official registration number “L32.”
• The Vald’Arno di Sopra DOC will soon be the first appellation in Italy to be 100% certified organic.

Poderi Il Carnasciale has the unique distinction of being the only winery in the world to commercially cultivate the Caberlot grape variety. Believed to be a crossing of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the grape was first identified in an abandoned vineyard in the 1960s. Wolf Rogosky, founder of Podere Il Carnasciale, working with oenologist Vittorio Fiore, saw great potential in the variety and began planting it in his vineyards in the southern part of Chianti in 1986. Made in tiny quantities, the “Caberlot” bottling is only made in the best years, and only bottled in magnums. Over the years, it has gained cult status as one of the top “Super Tuscans,” found on the list at many of the best restaurants in Italy. Since Wolf’s passing in 1996, the estate has been run by his wife, Bettina, his son, Moritz, and more recently, Moritz’s daughter, Carla-Elle, with the help of oenologist Marco Maffei.

They consider themselves a “haute couture” winery for the extreme care and attention to detail that goes into every aspect of farming and winemaking. All vineyard work is done manually, using only organic treatments. Harvest is also by hand, with a strict grape-by-grape selection: the motto is “what you would not put into your mouth will not go into the wine.” Fermentation is in stainless steel, following by aging in used and new French oak barrels. A barrel tasting takes place prior to bottling, with the more structured and complex barrels selected for “Il Caberlot,” and the more approachable barrels, usually from younger vines, selected for the second wine, “Il Carnasciale.” In 2016, they introduced a third wine, “Ottantadue,” produced from Sangiovese grapes from the new Vald’Arno di Sopra DOC.