Fattoria di Calappiano, Sangiovese Toscana 2024

Get to know: Calappiano Sangiovese Toscana

Tasting Note

This easy-going Italian red wine is a textbook example of Sangiovese Toscana – fresh, juicy, and made for midweek meals. Expect vibrant red cherry and blueberry flavours, with a light touch of spice and plenty of bright acidity to keep things lively. It’s medium-bodied, soft on the tannins, and finishes with a gentle savoury edge that makes it endlessly sippable.

Perfect with:

• Vegan: Roasted aubergine with lentils and herby tomato sauce

• Cheese: A wedge of mature cheddar or a nutty aged Pecorino

• Meat: Classic lasagne or a sausage and fennel pasta bake

This is a great bottle to have to hand when you fancy something tasty and unfussy that still feels a bit special.

Kate says

"The Calappiano winery dates back to the 1500s so they've got loads of experience making great wine. It shows in this soft and fruity red which is a perfect midweek pasta companion. It's got some pretty red cherry and blueberry fruit and enough acidity to match a tomato sauce."

Producer Info

Fattoria di Calappiano is no new kid on the block – this Tuscan estate was founded in the 1500s by the Medici family and is now run by the fourth generation of the Sensi family, who’ve been making wine here since 1890. Set between Florence and Vinci, the 200-hectare estate is a patchwork of vineyards, olive groves and wild woodlands. It's a place where history and modern winemaking go hand in hand.

The Sensi family are big on sustainability and respect for the land. Their wines are certified organic and vegan, meaning no synthetic chemicals, GMOs, or animal products are used at any stage. Just honest, well-made wine from the heart of Tuscany.

The 2022 vintage is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, gently fermented in stainless steel tanks over about two weeks. After that, the wine is left on its skins to extract colour and soft tannins, using a mix of remontage and délestage (two fancy ways of saying “pumping over” and “rack and return” to get the best out of the grapes).

It goes through malolactic fermentation to soften the acids, then spends about six months maturing on fine lees with micro-oxygenation – this gives the wine its smooth mouthfeel and adds a bit of extra roundness without any oak. The result is a fresh, fruity red that feels modern but still true to its Tuscan roots.