In the commune of Poggio a Caiano in the hills of Carmignano, the Vannucci family farms approximately 15 hectares of vineyards with panoramic views of Firenze nine miles to the east. Mauro Vannucci, the founder of Piaggia, was drawn to the hills of Carmignano in the 1970s in search of a family home within the historic region. Poggio a Caiano is home to an historic Medici family villa and the first cabernet sauvignon vines grown in Tuscany were planted nearby. The vines were a gift from the French royals to the Medici family after Catherine de’ Medici married the Duke of Orleans in 1533, who later became King Henry II. Centuries before ‘Super Tuscans’ gained international fame, farmers in Carmignano blended their sangiovese with French grape varieties.

Vannucci purchased the Piaggia property in 1974 from Conte Contini Bonacossi of the Villa Capezzana estate. Piaggia’s vines are located in a natural basin, the best section for vines in Carmignano. The 2.5ha Piaggia vineyard was planted in 1972 with cuttings from Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. This vineyard continues to produce the Piaggia Riserva from these original vines. In the years since as they have expanded the vineyards, all plantings at the estate have used massale selections from this esteemed plant material. Vineyards are farmed organically and no herbicides or insecticides are used. Mauro was persuaded to begin commercial wine production in the late 1980s after only producing wines for consumption among family and friends. The first vintage of the notable flagship Piaggia Riserva was produced in 1991.

Mauro’s daughter, Silvia, now owns and manages the winery and has been dynamic in shaping the evolution of the estate. The only major change in winemaking occurred in 2004 when the winery switched from using 100% new Garbellotto barrels to introducing a mix of new and second-pass oak barrels. Oak is still a feature of Piaggia wines, simply as an accompaniment to the fruit, not as a declaration of style. Silvia has worked over the years to lessen the inclusion of new oak.

To get a sense of the house style, ‘Pietranera’, a blend of 80% sangiovese and 20% cabernet franc, is a perfect starting point. ‘Il Sasso’ is their introduction to the Carmignano DOCG as a blend of 70% sangiovese, 15% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, and 5% cabernet franc. The ‘Piaggia Riserva’ serves as the true flagship for the estate and is made with fruit from the original 1972 plantings. At the top end of their production, the 100% cabernet franc, ‘Poggio de’Colli’, is produced from parcels of their best cabernet franc vines.