Caiarossa

Caiarossa is a Tuscan wine estate situated to the southeast of the city of Pisa. Caiarossa has been owned by Eric Albada Jelgersma since 2004 and today produces a range of regional Tuscan wines that largely fall under the Toscana IGT classification.

When the estate was first established in 1998, it was done so with a clear focus on organic agricultural practices. These guiding principles have been maintained under its current ownership and both biodynamic and organic farming approaches are still applied throughout the 31 hectares (77 acres) of vineyards. The soils are typified by jasper, rock and pebbles and are planted to a total of 10 grape varieties: Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Alicante, Syrah, Viognier, Chardonnay and Petit Manseng.

The winery is divided into four separate levels, thereby allowing the application of a gravity-flow fermentation system. The red grape varieties are destemmed and fermented in cement and oak tanks. After fermentation and malolactic fermentation with indigenous yeasts the wines are aged in a combination of barriques, tonneaux and large oak casks and, once aged, spend approximately one year in cement tanks.

The estate's flagship Caiarossa Toscana IGT wine was first produced in 2003 and is a blend of seven red grape varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Alicante. The grapes are harvested by hand from the Podere Serra all'Olio vineyard and are aged separately in 30 percent new oak tonneaux and barrels for between 11-20 months, depending on the grape variety. The wine then spends a further six months in concrete tanks prior to bottling.

Eric Albada Jelgersma also owns two additional estates in Margaux, Bordeaux – Château Giscours and Château du Tertre.