Tenuta di Carleone: The New Frontier of Sangiovese in Chianti Classico
Thirty years ago, after completing winemaking school in Germany, Sean O’Callaghan set off with his motorcycle throughout Italy. He landed in Chianti and never looked back—and if you’ve ever had the chance to visit there, you probably can understand. It is just such a perfect wine region; the proximity to Florence and the beauty of the hills are something that will stay in your heart forever. And let’s not forget about the wine—I mean, it’s Chianti after all!
Everything changed for Sean once, in 2012, he met and decided to partner with Karl and Kristine Egger, who had just begun restoring the ruins of Castiglioni, a medieval estate with roots going back to 1078. This estate was once owned by the monks of Badia a Coltibuono (another super famous Chianti producer). Over a decade later, they are actively working with 20 hectares of vineyards. Tucked away in the rugged hills of Radda in Chianti, Tenuta di Carleone has quietly become one of the most exciting estates in Tuscany.
The vineyards are nestled among a bucolic setting of oak forest, olive trees, and a bubbling stream, ranging from 450m to 750m of elevation. Like the majority of Chianti’s soils, Corleone’s is a combination of Alberese limestone and galestro, which lends to the wines their signature tension and minerality. Some vines date back to the 1970s; others have been recently replanted. What makes this producer unique is their love for Sangiovese, is the focus in the vineyard. Each parcel is vinified separately, and vineyard blends are made after extensive tastings, respecting each site’s identity.
The project started in two garages, and it slowly developed in a real winery. The team is currently renovating an old terracotta factory to use as new cantina. The approach in the cellar is minimal: native-yeast fermentation; no fining or filtration; a mix of aging vessels—concrete, stainless steel, large oak, and amphora; and a heavy emphasis on whole-cluster fermentations.
For Sean, it’s all about creating wines with bevibilità—that irresistible drinkability that makes bottles vanish before you know it.
Radda’s Backbone, Pure and Precise: 2021 Carleone Chianti Classico $34.99 94DC Sourced from high-altitude vineyards and fermented in a mix of concrete and wood, this is a lean, lifted, and savory expression of Sangiovese. Notes of red cherries, wild herb, and crushed stone that lift the wine to another level. The grapes are hand-picked, and the wine goes through a really long maceration of about two months. The style of this Chianti is bright, linear, and symphonic. What a Chianti.
The Flagship—Depth, Power, and Precision: 2021 Tenuta di Carleone “UNO” Toscana IGT $99.99 95VN Here we have the same type of maceration and organic practices, but UNO represents the best fruit of the estate. The wine in this case is aged in Austrian oak. This is a Le Pergole Torte style of wine to me, at a fraction of the price. A truly unique Sangiovese that shows power while maintaining a beautiful elegance that really make you wanted to come back to the glass.
The wine here is plumier than the Chianti, with notes of tobacco and black tea. Beautiful earthy spice and minerality balance the powerful fruit. It’s structured, deep, and really expressive. Textbook Radda.
The Wild One—Experimental and Addictive: 2022 Tenuta di Carleone “Il Guercio” Toscana IGT $74.99 95JS 95WA The name means “the one-eyed rascal,” a nod to Sean himself. This is the most experimental of the Sangiovese bottlings in this lineup. The maceration here is extremely long: they go as long as five months with this wine and the whole-cluster grapes are foot-tread and left to macerate in open-top bins—no fining, no filtration.
This is a crazy wine with notes of sour cherry, and red currant. Dried herbs are definitely in the aromatic mix. It is also smoky with a vibrant iron undertone. This is the most vibrant and energetic wine of the lineup for sure. This will age well for decades, but it is so intricate now.
The Outsider—Juicy, Easygoing, and Irresistible: 2022 Tenuta di Carleone “Il Randagio” Toscana IGT $29.99 93WA 93VN The name here means the “stray” because the focus is no longer Sangiovese but a blend of international grapes. More specifically a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot in equal part. This wine is vinified and aged in steel and wants to be a fun, juicy wine, perfect for any occasion. With notes of blackberry, fresh herbs and graphite, it’s lighter bodied and unpretentious. Perfect BBQ wine. All made following natural practices.
Sean’s philosophy is built on passion and play. His approach is rooted in observation, patience, and love for the grape, but also in a refusal to take himself too seriously. As he says: “Do something that you love.”