My Brush With Royalty
Villa Calcinaia
Nestled within some 700 sprawling acres of the famiglia Capponi Vineyards in the Hills of Greve in the Chianti Region of Tuscany is Villa Calcinaia. Dating back to 1524, this romantic estate resort is rich in history–the history of Italy and the historic ancestry of the Capponi family.
Lorraine Ranalli, Sabastiano Capponi, Gina Pio
I had the opportunity to meet and interview Sabastiano Capponi when he was in the Philadelphia region last month.
Sabastiano’s lineage is as fascinating as the Capponi wines, which tell the tale of this famous Italian family. Each bottle bears the image and description of a ancestor.
Also included in this interview (podcast attached) is Gina Pio, heiress to Pio Imports, a family wine importing business. The Pio family has been in the wine making and importing business since the late 19th Century. Gina had the pleasure of escorting Sabastiano on his travels through the Philadelphia region, a promotional tour he makes annually.
While I captured the interview on audio, Peg DeGrassa of Delco News Network, feverishly took notes and masterfully recounted the experience. Click here to read her article.
At the turn of the 18th Century, Count Ferrante Capponi refurbished the front of the villa and added a chapel. Circa 1750, Count Ferdinando Carlo Capponi, a first-class administrator, reorganized the the Capponi property in the Greve Valley, adding the fermentation cellar, the lemon house, and expanding the villa.
The older the vineyards, the better the wine!
Capponi wines have been internationally recognized. In addition to Calcinaia and the vineyards, the Capponi estate includes woodlands, pastureland, and olive groves.
This enchanting resort winery can be booked year-round. In the meantime, you can enjoy it vicariously by visiting the Calcinaia website and listening to my interview with Count Sabastiano.
Ciao!
