From Cordone Speronato to Guyot

 

Cupano at ProWein & Vinitaly 2019

Come see us in Düsseldorf and Verona!

Hall 13 / F33, with our German importer Wein Am Limit

Hall 9 / B8 n.57 in the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino area

To fix an appointment: cupano@cupano.it

Benvenuto Brunello 2019: Introducing the 2014 vintage

As we approach Benvenuto Brunello, which will take place from 15 to 18 February in the Cloister of Sant'Agostino in Montalcino,  we would like to share with you some thoughts regarding the new vintages.

Cupano will show Brunello di Montalcino 2014 and Rosso di Montalcino 2016, while we'll have to wait until late September to introduce the 2016 Ombrone.

We're just back from Rencontres Henri Jayer, where many prominent wine personalities, such as Aubert de Villaine, Jacky Rigaux, Jean-Michel Deiss, Patrick Baudouin, Jo Pithon, Claude et Lydia Bourguignon, Loïc Pasquet, Jacques Puisais, Gabriel Lepousez, Gerard Margeon, Bruno Clavelier, Pascal Agrapart, Yann Chave, broadly appreciated our newcomers for their terroir-driven character and énergie.

2014 was a challenging vintage: because of the unusual humidity recorded, we had to clean the grapes on a regular basis in the vineyard and make a strong selection on the sorting table. We took some risks in order to gain maturity and once again our terroir, with its stony soil and great exposure, gave proof of its faculty in a tough year. Further, our defoliation practices let the grapes dry off more quickly and found an ally in the breeze, leaving less room to grape diseases.

The yield was quite low - approximately 30 hectoliters per hectare - but we're proud to present Brunello in all its vintages, showing potential for long aging even in a lighter and more complicated millésime. The result is a creamy, delicate wine with hints of green tea, well-integrated tannins, great acidity and length.

Rosso di Montalcino 2016 - which was bottled two months ago, right before Christmas - comes out from a sunny, rich année with a generous structure, a wine gouleyant, very pleasant to drink, complex, which will get better and better in the bottle.

See you in Montalcino!

Rencontres Henri Jayer 2019

Since 2004 Lionel has been attending «Les Rencontres Henri Jayer - Vignerons, Gourmets et Terroirs du Monde», which take place every year between late January and February at Château de Gilly-les-Cîteaux, Mecca of Cistercian viticulture, gathering about 50 vignerons devotee to the philosophy of terroir. 

Many prominent wine personalities, such as Aubert de Villaine, Lalou Bize-Leroy, Marcel and Jean-Michel Deiss, Anselme Selosse, Leonard and Olivier Humbrecht, Stéphane Derenoncourt, Philippe Charlopin, Loïc Paquet, Thibault Liger-Belair, Bruno Clavelier, Pascal Agrapart, Jean-Laurent Vacheron attend Les Rencontres. 

These meetings were founded in 1993 by the legendary Burgundian winemaker Henri Jayer and his friend Jacky Rigaux, Professor emeritus at University of Burgundy and renowned connaisseur of the terroir. Their purpose is to carry on the ideas and the legacy of a true Maître du Vin. 

This year's theme is: «La mémoire du vin». 

Here's a souvenir of last year's Rencontres.

M. Rigaux discovered Cupano back in 2004, when he talked about our Rosso di Montalcino 2002 on Elitewine:

Ornella Tondini, from Italy, and Frenchman Lionel Cousin purchased the 86.5-acre Cupano estate (35 ha) in 1996. The new owners felt that the east-facing hills, on which there had been no vine since philloxera hit the Montalcino region in the 19th century, held a promising potential. The bare land had never been subject to modern agricultural practices, which can often be harsh due to the use of chemicals, so the new proprietors decided to use biological methods from the very beginning. No pesticide, herbicide or fertilizers have ever been used on the Cupano Estate. Tondini and Cousin originally planted 5.45 acres (2.2 ha) of Sangiovese, a 1.23-acre parcel (0.5 ha) of Cabernet Sauvignon and almost 1 acre (0.4ha)of Merlot on the east and west hillsides. The geology of the Cupano vineyard is very diverse and made of rocky, clayey/sandy, and semi-sandy soils. The winery, which was built in 2004 to have as little impact on the environment as possible, could process grapes from up to 17 acres (7 ha) of vineyard and Tondini and Cousin do not plan to increase the size of the Cupano vineyard above that. The owners control the yield, strictly select the grapes and use only berries that have reached full physiological maturity. Refusing to follow modern winemaking practices, they do not use industrial yeasts. The first wines from the Azienda Agricola Cupano are exceptionally pure”.

Rosso di Montalcino 2002

This wine is 100% Sangiovese, with a 15 months élevage in Burgundy barrels (1/2 new, 1/2 one year old). The crimson colour is shiny and limpid. The first nose is elegant and powerful with spice aromas of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and pepper harmoniously intermixed with a delicate oaky note. The aeration reveals black fruit scents of bilberry and blackberry and delicate floral notes. The attack is both consistent and supple with a good acidity, which highlights the minerality of the wine. Despite the young age of the vine, the aromatic persistence is very good. This is the signature of a truly great terroir: great texture, beautiful minerality, great length, and gorgeous balance.

In 2006 Les Rencontres Henri Jayer led to Le Terroir et Le Vigneron, presenting all the wine makers' point of view about terroir, its prominence and richness. Here's what Lionel wrote about this topic.

Cinghiale Cupano

Cupano on Vogue Japan

A new Brunello from a creator who studied with the god of Burgundy. 

Vogue Japan puts Cupano among the 4 wineries to visit in Montalcino, together with Biondi Santi, Mastrojanni & Castiglion del Bosco.

Full article here.

Come see us at Merano Wine Festival, 9-12 November 2018

Cupano will be present, like every year, at Merano Wine Festival, that will take place in the charming Meran Kurhaus from 9 to 13 November.

On Friday, November 9 we'll be in the Pavillon des Fleurs - table number 60 - for bio&dynamica.

Then, from Saturday to Monday, you will find us at Table 180 in the Rotunde where you will have the chance to taste a vertical of our Brunello di Montalcino (2007 Riserva, 2008 Riserva, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 in preview), Rosso di Montalcino 2015, Ombrone 2015 and our fortified wine, Mutato di Cupano.

Furthermore, our Brunello 2013 figures out as the only Brunello in the running for the Platinum Award. Among more than 5000 wines tasted, just 54 of them collected more than 93 points and aim to the highest reward. Our Brunello stands alongside Le Macchiole Paleo 2015, Tenuta di Trinoro Palazzi 2016, Montevertine Pergole Torte 2015, Tua Rita Giusto di Notri 2015, Ornellaia 2015, Conterno Fantino Barolo Ginestra 2015, San Leonardo 2013, Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2014 and a few others - here's the full list.