The story of Cupano is a relatively recent one. But in a short period of time, they have garnered much praise and are now considered one of the jewels of Montalcino.
In 1994 Ornella Tondini and Lionel Cousin purchased Podere Centine, a 35HA estate located in the south-west corner of Montalcino. The estate had been abandoned for over 40 years and, thus, was free of fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals used in modern day agriculture. It was in a natural state which allowed for the immediate adoption of organic viticulture, which was subsequently followed by the implementation of biodynamics a few years later. Today, the estate comprises 6.4ha of vineyards, 2ha of olive trees, 8ha of arable farming land and 18ha of forests.
Winemaker Andrea Polidoro, takes meticulous care of the winemaking process at every step and the wines are approachable at an early age due, in part, to the use of a relatively small amount of new oak, just 25%. All work in the vineyards is done manually. The grapes are meticulously sorted, followed by destemming and a very soft gentle pressing. Natural fermentation with constant pump-overs in steel tanks without temperature control is followed by racking, malolactic fermentation and then the wine is allowed to rest for a few weeks prior to the aging period in barrels. The barrels are tasted regularly, they are rolled over on their Oxoline system which stirs up the fine lees until finally the bottling is done without filtration.
‘The results, quite frankly, are stunning. While there’s a modern flair in their youth, these are not wines that hide the character of Sangiovese under a veil of oak. Instead, the Cupano wines find a balance between richness, elegance and poise.
Eric Guido, Vinous, Nov. 2021
