There’s a gentle breeze that blows across the hills of Chianti Classico on May mornings: the same wind that embraced the Capponi family’s first promise of viticulture in 1524, and which today whispers a new chapter. It is in this spirit that the 1524 Collection takes shape—a bridge between past and future, between deep roots and bold horizons.
Ancient roots, bold vision
Villa Calcinaia is much more than an estate: it is the stage where stories of men, women, land, and dreams intertwine. It was here in 1524 that the Capponi family planted the seed of a tradition that would survive through centuries.
On May 20, 2025, exactly 501 years later, the same land breathed new life with the presentation of the 1524 line.
Not just a simple launch, but an invitation to retrace generations, passions, and visions.
Luisa Vonwiller: muse and bond
Luisa Vonwiller is not a mythological figure, but a practical and free-spirited woman who knew how to combine scientific curiosity, entrepreneurial spirit, and a love of nature. Born into Milan’s cosmopolitan milieu and wife of Count Piero Capponi, she was the one who conveyed the vision that today resonates in the wines of the 1524 Collection.
With her explorer’s soul, she was able to look beyond geographical and cultural boundaries: that courage is echoed today in the labels, bottles, and aromas that convey cultural and territorial depth.
Wines like liquid poetry
The 1524 Collection is not just a collection of bottles: it is a small library of visions. Each with its own rhythm and distinct voice
Mauvais Chapon
Metodo Classico
A breath of bubbles born from Sangiovese, oscillating between red fruit and minerality. It is both delicacy and tension, a poem that explodes with every sip.
A classic method sparkling wine made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, it comes from the estate’s coolest plots. The grapes, harvested in the first ten days of August, express a still-ripe aromatic maturity, with a youthful and vibrant character. Vinification involves a soft pressing of the whole bunches, with exclusive selection of the free-run must. The intentionally low yield already previews the essential style of this sparkling wine in the cellar. The wine ages on the lees for 45 months before disgorging, which took place in March 2025. Despite a generous dosage (12 g/l), the flavor profile remains taut and vertical.
In the glass, it stands out for its finesse and persistence. On the nose, notes of baked pastries, red fruit tarts, wild strawberries, and yellow plums intertwine, accompanied by a citrus trail that suggests freshness and savory flavors. The entry on the palate is gentle, but the acidity quickly takes over, supported by a creamy texture that envelops the sip. The finish, playing on hints of brioche and citrus, closes with an inviting salinity that immediately invites another taste.
Tor Solis
Chenin Blanc
Light and freshness, notes of lime and wild flowers that follow one another like repeated verses. Mineral, decisive, with an elegance that takes on the contours of a Nordic landscape transplanted to the Tuscan hills.
From the Roberto vineyard, located on the Le Refie estate at 720 meters above sea level, comes Tor Solis, a Tuscan Chenin Blanc of rare intensity. The grapes, grown in a cool climate, are vinified in stainless steel and then aged for 14 months in ceramic clayver, a neutral material that allows for delicate micro-oxygenation, preserving the aromatic purity of the grape variety.
In the glass, it stands out for the finesse and persistence of its bubbles. On the nose, notes of baked pastries, red fruit tarts, wild strawberries, and yellow plums intertwine, accompanied by a citrus trail that suggests freshness and savory flavors. The entry on the palate is gentle, but the acidity quickly takes over, supported by a creamy texture that envelops the sip. The finish, playing on hints of brioche and citrus, closes with an inviting salinity that immediately invites another taste.
Le Refie
Marsanne, Viognier & Gewürztraminer
A blend that tastes of East and West. Floral aromas, tropical notes, and a controlled sweetness that evolves over time. It is a wine for meditation, to listen to calmly.
From the Adelaide vineyard, on the Le Refie estate, comes Le Refie, a white blend composed of 90% Marsanne and Viognier, with a balance of 10% Gewürztraminer. The vineyard, facing east on sandy soil, favors an elegant and sunny expression. The three varieties, each with a well-defined aromatic profile, blend here in a surprising balance. Fermentation and aging take place slowly in stainless steel, to give shape to an opulent yet understated white, without indulging in the clichés of Rhone varieties: no hints of glue or baroque aromas. On the eye it is golden, dense, with luminous reflections. The nose opens with orange blossom, broom, and candied orange zest. The sip is ample and creamy, with an aromatic richness supported by a well-measured sweetness (30 g/l of residual sugar), which is balanced by an unexpected citrus freshness. The mineral component blends with the fruity and floral notes of Gewürztraminer, evoking ripe peach and delicate spices. The finish is long and dynamic, promising an evolution towards honeyed tones and nuances of flint.
Casarsa
Merlot
This is a red that defies expectations. Not an easy Merlot, but a complex fabric, tannins that converse with the structure, a personality that demands attention.
Casarsa is a pure Merlot Super Tuscan, born from an agricultural error in 1967: that year, some Merlot vines, mistaken for Malvasia Nera, were planted in the hillside vineyards of the Casarsa estate at Villa Calcinaia. Only in 1996, thanks to the joint work of Sebastiano Capponi and Professor Roberto Bandinelli on the recovery of the estate’s genetic material, was the true identity of the grape variety discovered.
The vinification follows a precise protocol: fermentation in 50-hectoliter concrete tanks, with maceration on the skins for approximately 20-25 days at a controlled temperature. The aging takes place in 225-liter barriques, both new and used, and in tonneaux (except for the 1997 vintage), with durations varying according to the seasonal trend: 20 months for the 1997 and 2004 vintages, the canonical two years for the 2010 and 2019. The choice of wood reflects the climatic conditions: in warm harvests (1997, 2019) less invasive wood is opted for, while in cool ones (2004, 2010) a greater contribution of new barriques helps to sculpt the structure.”
Beyond the boundaries of regulations
The strength of the 1524 Collection also lies in its decision to break with convention. It is not just a wine project, but a symbol: wines born from a desire to stand out. Yet they remain strongly anchored to Tuscany, striking a balance between local and cosmopolitan, vast and intimate.
The new labels with the cross of the Order of St. Stephen evoke the family’s history, while the choice of the Burgundy-shaped bottle celebrates an elegant sobriety that supports the creative gesture.
1524 Collection is this: a story you have to drink to believe, a story that stirs ancient roots but opens up to the unknown. We look forward to seeing you at Villa Calcinaia, to write the next verse together.
