The late Ugo Contini Bonacossi, who was responsible for much of the renown of Tenuta di Capezzana, the family’s estate and the leading one in Carmignano, was always intrigued by the red wines from Bordeaux. So, in 1968, he planted Cabernet Sauvignon in pebbly soil (ghiaie, in Italian) along the Furba stream. About a decade later he created the wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Over the years, Syrah replaced Cabernet Franc, but then in 2022, they included it again because they found with climate change Cabernet Franc could reach adequate ripeness and add an accent of engaging herbal nuances. Currently, the blend is roughly a third each of the two Cabernets with the remaining third split between Merlot and Syrah. The floral and plump 2022 Ghiaie della Furba combines fleshy fruitiness with savory accents, all sitting on a base of suave tannins. The texture of this moderately-weighted wine allows current enjoyment, but from my experience with older vintages, Ghiaie della Furba evolves beautifully with a decade or so of bottle age, so save some for the cellar.
94 Michael Apstein – March 4, 2026