Castello di Bossi

Castello di Bossi is a leading Tuscan estate located at Castelnuovo Berardenga in the southern half of the Chianti Classico production zone. It makes a range of wines from the DOCG, as well as a couple of wines under the IGT Toscana designation.

Evidence of a settlement on the site dates back to the ninth century, and records show that wine production was already underway by 1099. The castle Bossi itself dates back to the late 14th and early 15th centuries. After a period of decline following the abolition of the sharecropping system in the early 20th century, the estate was bought in 1983 by current owners the Bacci family.

Castello di Bossi now covers more than 650 hectares (1600 acres) of land, with 124ha (306 acres) planted to vines. These vineyards are populated with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot on a range of different soil types. The winery is below ground on two sides, which lessens its impact on surroundings.

The estate's red wines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with computer-controlled pump-overs. Following the alcoholic fermentation, the standard Chianti Classico undergoes malolactic fermentation in steel, while the top wines spend around three weeks post-fermentation macerating on their skins before going directly into barrel.

The wine is aged in lightly toasted French oak barrels from the Allier forest for a period determined by the cuvée and vintage. The standard Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico spends 10-12 months in wood, the Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva around 15 months, and the Corbaia IGT Toscana (a 70:30 Sangiovese – Merlot blend) and the 100 percent Merlot cuvée Girolamo around two years.

The reds are all bottled without filtration and spend one to two years maturing in bottle before release. The portfolio also includes a Rosato and a Vin Santo Toscana.

The Bacci family also own the Brunello di Montalcino winery Renieri and its Chianti Classico estate Tenuta di Renieri (which is actually a neighbor to Castello di Bossi), plus Terre di Talamo in Grosseto on the Tuscan coast.