Caparsa

The historic cellar

Caparsa’s oldest winemaking space predates the modern estate by centuries. The cellar dates from the 17th century, while the underground maturation cellar is described as more than 500 years old. As in many historic Chianti farmhouses, the cellar was constructed before the domestic rooms: wine was treated as an essential food rather than an accessory. The 17th-century room now serves as the estate entrance and tasting room. The underground cellar has been restored and remains in use for maturation.

Reginaldo Cianferoni and the foundation of the estate

In 1965, Professor Reginaldo Cianferoni purchased Caparsa and began planting vineyards. He is identified as the estate’s founder. Beyond agriculture, Reginaldo researched rural history and helped preserve the oral culture of the Chianti countryside through Veglie a Porcignano, a project based on the recollections of farmer and storyteller Marcello Vanni.

A small vineyard planted in 1978 survives from the period before the estate-wide replanting programme.

Paolo and Gianna: a new phase from 1982

Paolo Cianferoni and his partner Gianna took responsibility for Caparsa in 1982. That year was also the first vintage of Chianti Classico Riserva Caparsino. Their decision to build a life around the farm was made when the property was still regarded by others as remote, stony and economically difficult. Paolo worked as a direct farmer, drawing on income generated by his own agricultural activity rather than external financial backing, while Gianna’s energy, work and sacrifices were central to developing the estate.

Their family gradually became part of the operation. Federico assumed commercial and sales responsibilities; Filippo began working in both vineyard and cellar and later shared agronomic and winemaking responsibilities; Fiamma took charge of logistics; Flavio and Francesco were introduced as university students. Paolo and Gianna have five children, all of whom supported the continuation of Reginaldo’s project when the family faced a later succession decision.

Vineyard renewal, 1999–2018

Paolo began a systematic vineyard replanting programme in 1999. Vigna Yippie and Vigna d’Emilio were planted that year. Vigna Fiamma Vecchia followed in 2003, Vigna Gemelli in 2005, Vigna Fiamma Nuova in 2007, Vigna Doccio a Matteo Vecchia in 2008, Vigna Doccio a Matteo Nuova in 2010 and Vigna Nuova in 2018. Together with the small 1978 vineyard, these plantings formed almost 12 hectares at the completion of the programme.

The estate also developed new bottlings during this period. Chianti Classico Caparsa first appeared with the 2016 vintage and was conceived around Sangiovese matured predominantly in concrete. The first Mimma IGT Toscana Rosso vintage was produced in 2018 as a limited selection of Sangiovese.

Organic farming and cellar development

Caparsa became certified organic in both its vineyards and cellar. Vineyard work centres on manual operations, non-synthetic disease control, mechanical cultivation beneath the vines, spontaneous ground cover and hand harvesting. In the cellar, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and the renewed use of concrete became defining methods. Stainless steel is reserved mainly for blending and short operations, while large oak casks provide slow maturation for selected Sangiovese wines. Paolo later moved away from barriques and described 10- and 18-hectolitre casks as the estate’s maturation vessels.

Succession and sole ownership in 2025

Following the deaths of Paolo’s parents, ownership was divided among Paolo and his two brothers. For roughly two years, the family faced a choice between selling the property to settle the brothers’ shares or finding a way to keep Caparsa intact. After consulting his five children, who wished to continue the project begun by Reginaldo and carried forward by Paolo and Gianna, Paolo acquired both brothers’ shares without resorting to legal proceedings. On 23 April 2025, he became Caparsa’s sole owner. The transaction preserved the estate as an independent family farm and provided a basis for the next generation to continue it.

Caparsa lies in the municipality of Radda in Chianti, in the Siena province of Tuscany. The estate address is Case Sparse Caparsa, and the vineyards have an average recorded elevation of approximately 450 metres. Doccio a Matteo is identified as the estate’s highest site, also at about 450 metres.

The property occupies a wooded setting. An aerial record from 2020 emphasizes how forest surrounds and separates the vineyard blocks. The wooded environment helps moderate temperatures around the relatively gentle, north-west-facing slope associated with Caparsino. The broader estate is situated to the north-east of Radda in Chianti.

Stone is a conspicuous part of the site. Material excavated during vineyard preparation can be reused to build subsurface drains, while Paolo’s account of the family’s arrival recalls a remote place perceived as full of stones. New-vineyard preparation is designed around the movement of underground water: drains follow the lines of slope so that water is channelled away and the soil remains structurally stable.

Caparsa attributes the identity of its produce to the interaction of flora, fauna, insects, fungi, microorganisms, soil, climate and field exposure with human work. The wines are characterised within the estate’s own philosophy by marked acidity, aromas and tannins tied to place, qualities associated with their capacity to age.

Seasonal conditions can create pronounced differences between vineyards and even within individual blocks. The estate uses an on-site weather station to observe those changes and time organic treatments. In the hot 2021 season, two August storms and the estate’s position helped maintain full, healthy grapes. Paolo has also observed that rising average temperatures have brought more regular phenolic maturity than in earlier decades, when the cool location could make complete ripening difficult in particular years.

Caparsa is certified organic in both vineyard and cellar by CCPB Bologna. The viticultural year relies heavily on manual work, with the estate regarding that additional labour as fundamental to organic farming.

An on-site weather station supplies real-time data to help schedule treatments accurately. Once shoots exceed approximately 10 centimetres and weather conditions favour disease, attention turns to downy mildew and powdery mildew. Caparsa limits protection to fungal diseases, maintaining that the healthy environment prevents damaging insect populations from proliferating. Treatments avoid synthetic products: copper is used against downy mildew, with clay- and horsetail-based alternatives, while sulphur is used against powdery mildew.

Pruning is performed by hand with manual or pneumatic shears. The objective is balanced vegetative growth adapted to each individual vine. As the canopy develops, workers remove suckers, tie shoots to the supports and manage lateral shoots during summer to improve aeration around the fruit and permit mechanical work without damaging the plants.

The soil immediately beneath the row is cultivated mechanically with an A. Spedo three-disc implement, eliminating herbicides. Between rows, a mower cuts the grass and encourages spontaneous ground cover. Every three or four years, the inter-row is worked to improve aeration around the roots.

When establishing a new vineyard, drains are laid along the slope to regulate underground water and reinforce soil stability. Stone from the excavated ground can be placed at the bottom of the drains and covered with geotextile to prevent silting; terracotta drainage elements with filtering fabric are another option. Two excavators work together during deep preparation: one moves soil to no more than 80 centimetres, while the other finishes the surface and gathers stone for drainage. After preparation and alignment, rooted vines are planted with a special fork or mechanically.

Harvest is manual, allowing selection of the grapes as they are picked. Vineyards are protected by fencing and electric fencing against wild boar, which historically selected ripe fruit at night.

Caparsa bottles approximately half of its total wine production. Recorded average production is 500 hectolitres, while cellar capacity is stated as 3,300 hectolitres and finished-bottle storage as 40,000 bottles.

Concrete is central to fermentation and maturation. Its thermal insulation and natural porosity are valued for spontaneous fermentation and gradual gas exchange. Chianti Classico wines are fermented and vinified in this part of the cellar with indigenous yeasts. Several wines continue their maturation predominantly or entirely in concrete, limiting the aromatic influence of wood. Published production information also records coarse filtration rather than fine polishing for several principal red wines.

Stainless-steel tanks are treated primarily as practical working vessels. They are generally used for blending before bottling and for short cellar operations rather than prolonged storage. Recorded stainless-steel capacity is 372 hectolitres, with 2,680 hectolitres of concrete capacity and 178 hectolitres of wooden vessels.

Wooden casks are distributed through several cellar spaces. The principal formats are 500, 1,000 and 1,800 litres, selected to allow Sangiovese to mature slowly. Oak origins named for the cellar include Limousin, Allier or other French sources, Slavonia, America and Hungary. Caparsino is associated primarily with 1,800-litre Limousin oak casks, while Doccio a Matteo uses smaller 500- and 1,000-litre casks of various origins as well as 10-hectolitre oak vessels and concrete. Maturation duration depends on the wine and vintage; the estate’s range descriptions generally give one to two years, while the cellar description presents longer ageing for selected lots. Paolo’s more recent account states that barriques have been abandoned in favour of 10- and 18-hectolitre casks.

The maturation cellar is underground and more than 500 years old. It has been restored while retaining its role in the slow development of the wines. The adjoining 17th-century cellar now functions as the principal entrance and tasting room.

Caparsa condenses its philosophy into one word: tradition. This does not mean treating wine as a luxury object detached from farming. Its point of reference is the sharecropping culture in which wine had the status of food and belonged at the table. Care for every stage of production and the wholesomeness of the finished wine are treated as inseparable from quality.

Territorial expression is understood as the combined result of living and physical factors—flora, fauna, insects, fungi, microorganisms, soil, climate and exposure—together with the work and judgement of Paolo Cianferoni. Acidity, tannin and aroma are valued as signs of place and as foundations for longevity.

The practical expression of this position includes organic certification, avoidance of synthetic vineyard treatments and herbicides, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, substantial use of concrete and maturation in larger oak vessels rather than barriques. The intention is to preserve differences among sites and seasons rather than impose a uniform cellar signature.

Paolo’s broader agricultural position favours independent family farming over financial concentration. He associates responsible production with environmental care, natural methods, fair remuneration for collaborators, strong local relationships and the ability to pass farms to another generation. The 2025 acquisition of his brothers’ shares was therefore both a succession decision and an effort to preserve the continuity of the family project begun in 1965.