Purchased by Nino Folonari, Giovanni’s grandfather, in 1967, the Zano estate covers about 60 hectares, 45 of which are planted with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and the other ones are woods or rural settlements; two of these have been redeveloped by the Folonari family transforming them into two high-level hospitality facilities: Borgo del Cabreo and Relais La Pietra. The estate also houses the wine cellar and the historic Cabreo barrel room. About 15 hectares of Chardonnay and Pinot noir grapes are grown on Casa di Sala in Panzano in Chianti.
Tenute del Cabreo extends over two areas within the municipality of Greve in Chianti: Zano located between Greve in Chianti and the historic village of Montefioralle and Casa di Sala in Panzano in Chianti on the highest hills of the Chianti Classico area. Soils rich in gravels and marls deriving from the Pliocene epoch for the Zano estate and white clays and schist rocks (galestro) in Panzano in Chianti characterise the elegance, longevity and complexity of the grapes grown in these lands.
In the early 1970s Ambrogio and Giovanni, after careful observation of French viticulture, selected clones of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot which, together with the native Sangiovese, they used for the production of Supertuscan Cabreo. The Chardonnay and Pinot noir grapes, on the other hand, were better suited to the Panzano area where, higher altitudes and soils rich in calcareous clay recalled the renowned Burgundy terroir.
For over forty years, the Supertuscans wine of Tenute del Cabreo have surprised with their character and elegance. La Pietra, Chardonnay Toscana IGT, Black, Pinot Nero Toscana IGT, represent the Burgundian style in Tuscany by assimilating the peculiarities of the Terroir. Cabreo Il Borgo has been exciting since 1982 with its historic blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
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