Cappannelle: The Story of New Vineyard in Castiglion Fibocchi

This is the story of our idea and dream: the new beautiful vineyard.
For reading this story start from the bottom of this post…….and please write your impressions and your emotions!

Have a good reading!

Step 19. August 2018:
New Vineyard is growing – Google Map

 

From Google Map The New Vineyard in Cappannelle is almost visible.
From Google Map The New Vineyard in Cappannelle is almost visible.

Our project is taking shape. We are proud of taking care of the beauty of the area. It is a wonderful gift we give to all of us and to future generations.

Step 18. July 2018 :
Vineyard & Wonderful landscape

This is Bianchi Renato (83 years old – July 2018) with the passion, ambition and care to have a beautiful vineyard and with the care to protect it from wild boars in the area.

Step 17. June 2018:
Vineyard and its splendor (with roses)

What a splendor to see the vineyards with roses.

Our fixed thought is “Beauty will save the world” and also what Prince Leopold of Tuscany thought about Tuscany “functional aesthetics” – the beauty and functionality that coexist together … what an intelligent thing!

Maybe you did not know that …

Besides being an ornamental plant, the rose can perform a preventive function in the vineyards.

According to the common practice it is possible to prevent such diseases by observing a rose plant, placed near the rows (generally it is placed at the head of the rows). In fact, this plant tends to manifest symptoms in advance of the vine itself (about a week before).

The rose, therefore, would have the function of warning the farmer that, acting promptly through treatments based on copper (for peronospora) or sulfur (for oidium), will be able to block the infection in time.

Step 16. 31 December 2017:

Vineyard is sleeping

And so the first winter has arrived for our vines ..

Even the vines, like human beings, rest. Winter is the moment when everything stops in nature, preparing for the next spring.

Sh sh sh Silence ..

Now they rest in a deep sleep!

Step 15. October 2017:

Vineyard in Fall

Step 14. September 2017:
Vineyard is growing well

Like the puppies cared for with care and love by Renato Bianchi, the small vines are growing very well. We are very proud! Our dream is taking shape.

Step 13. July 2017:
Placing poles and wire metal

After planting the plants, we now place the poles and the metal wires to support them for when they are older.

 

Step 12. June 2017:
Little vines are growing despite the drought

In one of the hottest summers of the century, second only to 2003, the real risk was drought. Fortunately, and thank God for a week after having planted it, a long rain of two whole days has come, saving the vines from drought.

Step 11. May 2017:
Planting new grapevines.

 

Now it’s time to put the plants …. carefully, tidily and in perfect lines. We decided to put a small plant every 80 cm to get a good quality of the grapes. Renato and his helpers worked hardly.

Step 10. April 2017:
New Vine plants arrived

In April 2017, kept as if they had been a treasure in gold, diamonds and emeralds, the very precious 11.300 vine plants arrived in a cold store directly from the company Marchi e Volpe.

The entire production process takes place entirely within and under the direct control of the company. The processing is carried out with the utmost care to maintain an optimal health and morphological condition of the cuttings according to the clonal selections from which they derive.

The packing of the cuttings in nylon bags inside stackable cartons and the storage of refrigerated cells inside allows a perfect preservation at constant temperature and humidity. All under the control of public bodies and institutions that ensure the good health status of mother plants and nurseries.

In  2016 with our agronomist Dr. Guido Fatucchi of the Social Winery of Arezzo (Cantina dei Vini Tipici dell’Aretino) we analyzed the organoleptic characteristics of the soil and based on that they identified the typology of vine plants:

  • ANCELLOTTA 24.8%
  • SANGIOVESE 75%
  • MALVASIA 0,1%
  • TREBBIANO TOSCANO 0,1%

To produce in Castiglion Fibocchi the wine that follows the Chianti Wine DOCG Colli Aretini protocol

Step 9. April 2017:
Ready to Plant

Plowed land before planting the vineyard - Cappannelle April 2017 Google Map
Plowed land before planting the vineyard – Cappannelle April 2017 Google Map

The great moment has arrived ……… The land has been worked divinely. And with great attention all the old vines have been removed and it has been plowed several times ….. it’s spring where everything starts.

Step 8. September 2016:

Last works before planting


We leveled the field for the last time before planting the new vines. And now we let sleep the ground for all winter 2016 until spring 2017

Step 7. August 2016:
Deep soil plowing

To ensure greater fertility to the soil of the new vineyard we plowed more than 1 meter deep. Renato had called Mr. Croci an expert in the plowing of vineyards with his big bulldozer and his big coulter.

The purpose of the break is to create conditions of softness, even if temporary, even at a certain depth, so that the roots of the trees expand easily. In fact, in non-broken soil, the roots develop more superficially and the plants are more easily subject to eradication and more susceptible to drought. It is carried out with a super heavy rubberized / crawler agricultural tractor.

Step 6. July 2016:
Leveling the field

We have leveled the ground before plowing.

Step 5. June 2016:
Collection of old vines

Despite the great work many roots of vines have remained. We have collected them in one single point in a large pile.

Step 4. Jube 2016:
The ground after the first plowing

Now every row of the old vineyard is plowed.

 

Step 3. May 2016:
Remove the plant vines with tractor

Renato with the tractor plowed the soil to remove the roots of the old vines

Step 2. April 2016:
The Old Vine Plants cutted

Now it’s all cut. And there are only small branches and roots of vines

Step 1. March 2016:
We begin to cut the old vine plants.

An old vineyard that has done a good job for over 40 years is retiring! Now let’s start cutting the old screws. The whole Bianchi family is collaborating. In the front row, Bianchi Renato and then Gianni and Marusca.

Step 0. September 2015:
We have a DREAM: Plant a new Vineyard!

cappannellesurroundingarea
Map of old vineyard September 2015

 

A day of September 2015, after the last harvest, we decided to plant a new vineyard in the same place where my father in law Renato planted it in 1970.

Bianchi Team in the last Harvest 2015 - Cappannelle
Bianchi Team in the last Harvest 2015 – Cappannelle

 

Team Last Harvest 2015 - Cappannelle Farm
Team Last Harvest 2015 – Cappannelle Farm
  • GOAL: To Plant new 11.300 vine trees and do a new harvest in September 2019
  • COMPANY : Cappannelle Farm
  • DIRECTOR: Renato Bianchi
Pubblicità

It is not a simple dog it is simply Chicco

 

 

Chicco is the dog of Bianchi Family. It was born in Tuscany in the winter 2012, exactly on 16th january 2012. The meaning of the name is SWEET. All guests of Cappannelle Holiday House love him. And they call him with a english accent and they pronounce its name “Kikko” or “kicco”. It is a true STAR and my second daughter Alice is its best friend.

There are many stories about him. In the summer 2012 while an english family from Bath was arriving for a dinner with us, it did pee, for the big joy, on the leg of the english madame…. we were embarassed for this.

In september 2012 when Karin, a painter from New York City, came for 2 months from us, Chicco found another friend. Every day they met for playing together.

And all little children loved and love him, You can see from the pictures:

 

 

Best Supporting Actor

THE OSCAR GOES TO…

CHICCO

 

 

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Italy (I) Traveling Through Tuscany

Shoot 'N Go

Earlier this month we spent two wonderful weeks in Italy, where we visited Venice, Florence, Greve in Chianti, Montefioralle, Siena, San Gimignano, and Montalcino. We drove through the Tuscan countryside and Val d’Orcia all the way to Rome, where we ended the trip. It was a fantastic trip. Italy is a photographer’s paradise and I took thousands of photos. Starting my series on Italy, here’s a slide show of the beautiful Tuscan countryside.

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Top 10 herbs to cook Italian- 2. Rosemary= Rosmarino

Toscana Mia Blog

Rosemary

“An herb is the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks.” (- Charlemagne)

Rosemary better to be used fresh as desiccated leaves loose flavor.

Rosmery

To strip the leaves from a woody sprig, simply hold the stem in one hand and remove the leaves using the finger and thumb of the other hand, pushing against the direction of the growth

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Rosemary’s pungent flavor complements fatty meats particularly well, When grilling, toss a sprig or two of fresh rosemary onto the coals to add a wonderfully intense smokiness to your meats.You can use a woodier branch from the plant as to brush oil on grilling meat. On grilling a lamb it’s compulsory as its aromatic smells eliminates the characteristic sheep smell.

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Rosemary in marinades, or as an accent for Mediterranean vegetables. Great in some tomato sauces. Pay attention not to use too much especially in summer when it can be too…

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Photo of the Day: Tuscan Sunrise

Michael Rappa

I’m going to try sharing these photos of the day more often to keep my blog active on days I’m not writing.

This was taken on the grounds of a villa in the hills of Tuscany outside Florence in 2011. It was my second day in Italy and, still out of whack from not sleeping on the flight, I awoke before dawn, which is an extreme rarity for me (I’m frequently just going to bed before dawn). Determined not to let this fortuitous turn of events go to waste, I headed outside on a chilly fall morning to catch the sunrise.

The quality of this photo is not the best since it was taken with a point-and-shoot camera, but I like the imagery of peering over the potted plant at the Tuscan countryside under the early morning sky.

Tuscan sunrise

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Travel to Italy Tip #4 | Travel to lesser known areas

Once in a Lifetime Travel

Le marche Ascoli Piceno in Le Marche

Another way to help save money and make your dream of travel to Italy come true this year is to think outside of the box.  The majority of tourists all travel to the same areas in Italy.  In major cities, the tourists can be found in the same concentrated places.  Of course there are the blockbusters to see, but aside from that you really don’t need to get caught up in the masses.  To increase your enjoyment, see more of the real Italy all while saving money, follow tip #4.

4. Travel to a Lesser Known Area

Most guidebooks lead people to the same places over and over.  When I travel I make sure not to miss the important sites and places that are a priority to me, but when I am done I make a beeline for the opposite direction of the other tourists.

An alternative to…

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Italie: 5 coups de coeur en Toscane

Ajoutez votre grain de sel personnel… (facultatif)

Globe Raconteuse

1) Louer une maison :

Pour découvrir la Toscane, rien de tel que de louer une maison ou une villa; ce qui permet de rayonner aisément dans la région et de vivre comme les locaux… De cette façon, on apprend à connaître les commerces et les gens du coin. Lorsqu’on voyage en famille (ou quelques couples ensemble), cette formule permet aussi d’économiser sur l’hébergement et les repas; ce qui ne nous empêche pas de goûter les spécialités locales, qui nous sont proposées dans les vinothèques, les boulangeries et les marchés locaux.

De notre côté, nous avons loué une maison à Castiglion Fibocchi: un petit village situé dans la région du Val d’Orcia (à une dizaine de kilomètres de la ville d’Arezzo). Cet emplacement central nous a permis de rejoindre aisément les villages de Montepulciano et Cortona, la région du Chianti, de même que Florence, Sienne et Pise…

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