2021 Castellare Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany, Italy

The first Castellare di Castellina vintage dates back to 1977. On its label appears a goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis). The decision to use this delightful little bird, very common in the Tuscan countryside and also highly celebrated in its iconography (see the Madonna of the Goldfinch by Raphael) was taken not only to pay homage to its beauty but also for a specific reason linked to what is now called our vision or production philosophy. In the Chianti, the factor that more than anything else is endangering bird life, whether local or migratory, is not hunting but the use of pesticides, widespread in growing both intensive and specialised crops such as vines. The decision of Castellare di Castellina, which foreshadowed similar policies later pursued by other estates, has been to avoid the use of herbicides, pesticides and all other types of systemic chemicals. From that very first label, each new vintage of Castellare di Castellina pays homage to one of the many bird species that make the Chianti countryside more colorful and melodious but that the indiscriminate use of synthetic chemicals is placing under threat. This was an environmentally-friendly choice that was then extended to all other estates of the Domini Castellare di Castellina. Inspired by the original vision of Castellare di Castellina, Rocca di Frassinello has continued further along the path of sustainability