 Lying to the west of Florence on the eastern slopes of Mount Albano in Italy’s wine-rich Tuscany, the Carmignano region has climatic and soil conditions ideally suited for the production of superior red wine.
The area is known to have had land under vine for over 3000 years, and the first documented reference to Carmignano wine can be found in the famous Datini Archives in Prato. There is a mention that on December 8, 1396, a notary named Lapo Mazzei purchased 15 loads of Carmignano wine, paying four times the prevailing price of other wines at that time. A good indication that even then, the wine of the region was something special.
But it took a bit longer for Carmignano wines to develop into their present distinctive form.
Around the year 1500, Caterina de Medici, whose family had ruled Florence and much of Tuscany for several hundred years, became Queen of France. Under the influence of this royal connection, Cabernet grapes were planted in the Carmignano area. Even now, it is locally referred to as Francesca.
Today, Carmignano wines are a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Cabernet and Sauvignon grapes.
In 1716, Cosimo III de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, instituted wine production regulations. He set forth production standards and established control over sales, the aim being to prevent fraud. He demarcated borders of areas under vine cultivation, and proclaimed Carmignano as one of the four best in Tuscany, along with Chianti, Val d'Arno di Pesa, and Pomino. Under this rule, if a wine was labeled a Carmignano, the grapes had to be grown and vinified within a specific area. Carmignano is justifiably proud to have received one of the first four D.O.C or Dinominazione di Origine Controllata appellations.
The Carmignano zone is relatively small in area, and has more of olive groves than vineyards. Even so, its potential is great. The soil has a high lime content, the days are hot and nights cool. These factors combine with the comparatively low altitude of the hills, not more than 133 ft above sea level, wind from the Appenines and summer rain to ensure the correct ripening of the grapes.
In the 1930s, the ancient D.O.C. for Carmignano wines was taken over by D.O.C. Chianti Montalbano, but wine growers of the region, notably Ugo Contini Bonacossi, worked tirelessly to retrieve it. This was finally achieved in 1975, and in 1990, Carmignano won the higher D.O.G.C or Dinominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita appellation.
This tiny wine district produces D.O.Cs such as the Barco Reale di Carmignano, the Carmignano Rosato or the Carmignano Rosso as well as the Carmignano Rosso di Riserva. The Carmignano D.O.C is a great wine which can be drunk young or aged, while the Barco Reale takes its name from an old estate belonging to the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. The Vin Santo di Carmignano D.O.C, a highly prized desert wine, is made from white grapes, while the Vin Santo di Carmignano Occhio di Pernice comes from red grapes.
Carmignano wines appear on the wine list of many famous restaurants all over the world, including New York, London, Milan, Japan, Mexico and Brazil.
At the beginning of the nineties, 2000 hectolitres of Carmignano were produced, but by 2000 the production had gone up to almost 4000 hectolitres. These are small figures when compared to those of other wines, and there are only less than 20 active producer-bottlers. Tentua di Capezzana Ambra, Artimino, Castelvecchio, Fattoria di Bacheretto, Fattoria il Poggiolo, Le Farnete, Pratesi, Piaggia and Il Poggiolo are among the most famous estates in the region. These estates are happy to receive visitors, but it would be well to notify them in advance.
Visitors to the Carmignano region can also see the Museum of Grapevine and wine and look at some archeological digs. Pontormo's masterpiece "The Visitation", Etruscan tombs and finds, Romanesque churches, and Medici villas are other attractions. This area is also known for its craftsmanship in various materials, ranging from wrought iron to ceramics, as well as for its gastronomic delights. |
