Location and altitude
Castiglioncello refers to the area of Castiglioncello di Bolgheri in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci in the province of Livorno, Tuscany. It lies in the vicinity of Bolgheri and includes a historic vineyard at around 400 metres above sea level.
Soils and microclimate
The vineyard belongs to the hilly Sassicaia micro-zone. The soils are described as being composed of gravel, rubble and clay, along with calcareous areas and formations from Alberese, Gabbro and rock. The hillside location was formed during the Cretaceous and the Eocene–Oligocene Paleogene period. Surrounding hills protect against north-easterly winds, while in summer sea breezes provide cooling; sunlight reflected from the sea shapes the local microclimate.
Vines and cultivation
The first vineyard was planted in 1944 on a little more than one hectare with Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines on the hillside slopes belonging to Vigna di Castiglioncello are trained using a low spur pruning system with pruned canes bent at about 40 centimetres in order to increase the leaf area and the efficiency of photosynthesis. The grapes are hand-picked.
Connection to Sassicaia
Castiglioncello is historically linked to Sassicaia, a dry red wine with the Bolgheri Sassicaia origin designation. For Sassicaia, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are used; Cabernet Sauvignon must make up at least 80 percent. From 1945 to 1967, the wine from the vineyards of Tenuta San Guido remained reserved for the family and close friends. The 1968 vintage was first commercially released in 1971.
