Storia
Sharecropping roots in the early 20th century
Podere Castellinuzza has its origins in the sharecropping system. The Coccia family began working the property at the beginning of the 1900s, when its land and farmhouses belonged to Montagliari & Castellinuzza di Cappelli. The family remained at the estate through the difficult conditions associated with sharecropping and developed a close working knowledge of the land around Lamole.
1962: acquisition by the Coccia family
In 1962, the former owners placed the land and farmhouses on the market. Rather than leave for a more convenient location, the Coccia family purchased the entire podere on which it had already worked for more than half a century. This acquisition transformed the family from sharecroppers into owners and established the basis of the present family farm.
The present family estate
Podere Castellinuzza remains a small, multigenerational family operation. Paolo Coccia is its winegrower and winemaker and has participated in more than 70 harvests. His daughter Serena works alongside him, supported by Luisa, Antonella and Martina. The estate now covers approximately 9 ha: 3.5 ha of vineyards, 2 ha of olive groves and the remaining land in chestnut woodland. Its production centres on Chianti Classico DOCG, including Riserva and Gran Selezione Vecchie Vigne, while olive oil remains another part of the farm’s activity.
Terroir
Podere Castellinuzza lies on a hill in the locality of Castellinuzza, within the Lamole area of Greve in Chianti. Its coordinates are approximately 43.560° N, 11.351° E. Lamole’s wine-producing territory embraces the hamlets of Castellinuzza, Casole and Lamole beneath Monte San Michele, identified as the highest mountain in Chianti Classico.
The vineyards used by the estate stand at 550–600 m above sea level. This high-altitude position is associated with aromatic expression, elegance and finesse. The Lamole landscape is characterised by small vineyards—many arranged on terraces—interspersed with woods of chestnut and marroni, as well as iris fields, violets and wild strawberries. The estate itself includes chestnut woodland around and between its cultivated areas.
The vineyard soils are sandstone; the older 2015 technical description further identifies the material as arenaria and macigno del Chianti. Recorded exposures include north-west and south-west. The oldest selected vineyard lies within chestnut woodland, while the Vecchie Vigne material comes from an elevated, north-west-facing terraced vineyard.
Lamole is identified as the highest UGA of Chianti Classico. Monte San Michele also lies on the traditional Via Michelita or Via Micaelica, an imaginary line of more than 2,000 km connecting seven sanctuaries dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel between Ireland and the Holy Land, by way of England, France, Italy and Greece.
Vinificazione
The current Chianti Classico, Riserva and Gran Selezione offerings are identified as organic. Grapes are harvested by hand in October; the standard Chianti Classico harvest is placed at the beginning of the month. For the 2015 harvest, picking took place on 1–2 October and the grapes were collected in small baskets.
The estate maintains multiple traditional training systems. Guyot is used for part of the vineyard area, while archetto chiantigiano and alberello are also represented. The oldest terraced Sangiovese vines retain the characteristic Alberello di Lamole form. Riserva production involves a separate selection of the best grapes from the centre of an old vineyard enclosed by chestnut woodland. The Gran Selezione selection is drawn from very old terraced vines at altitude.
Production is based principally on cement vessels. The current descriptions give maceration periods of about 14 days, while the technical documents place them between 13 and 18 days depending on the selection. Fermenting or macerating wines receive frequent pump-overs and punch-downs.
Cement is also the principal maturation medium. The current standard Chianti Classico description calls for at least 24 months in cement followed by six months in bottle. The current Riserva description gives 24 months in cement and at least four months in bottle. Gran Selezione Vecchie Vigne matures for at least 24 months in cement, then nine months in a large oak cask and a further six months in bottle.
The production approach therefore combines hand-picked fruit, extended contact with the skins, traditional cap management, long maturation in neutral cement and limited use of a large wooden vessel for the old-vine Gran Selezione.
Filosofia
Podere Castellinuzza defines itself through family continuity, tradition and respect for the earth. Its philosophy grows directly from the Coccia family’s sharecropping past and the decision to remain on and purchase the land it had long worked.
The family presents nature as its teacher and dedication and love as the forces sustaining the farm. Careful, exacting attention to quality takes precedence in its work. The estate’s language connects physical labour with independence and treats the relationship between people, soil and the passing seasons as an enduring dialogue.
Its approach also assigns the family a custodial role in Lamole. Old terraced vineyards, traditional alberello vines, chestnut woods and high-altitude cultivation are treated as living parts of the territory rather than simply as production assets. Continuity is maintained through Paolo Coccia’s experience of more than 70 harvests and the participation of Serena, Luisa, Antonella and Martina, each contributing to production, hospitality or the preservation of family memory.