The romance of Il Caberlot started in the 1960s when Remigo Bordini discovered a unique clone growing in Veneto. The clone was a mysterious genetic mutation of Cabernet Franc which had characteristics of Merlot grapes. Remigo joined forces with Bettina and Wolf Rogosky to start planting this unique grape in 1986, in a vineyard of less than one acre. The Rogoskys were so excited about their newfound variety that they decided to plant a bottle of Sassicaia under the first Caberlot vine as a sign of positive energy.

True to Wolf Rogosky’s vision, the secluded hilltop estate of Podere Il Carnasciale, in the mountains of southern Chianti’s Valdarno region, turned out to be an ideal place to plant the charismatic Caberlot. Though Wolf passed away in 1996, the estate continued to be run by Bettina and her son Moritz Rogosky, in collaboration with the enologist and winemaker Peter Schilling and his assistant Marco Maffei. This proud team works exceptionally hard at producing world class wines, refusing to compromise on quality at any point from ground to glass. They share one goal when making their two wines: quality above all.

The Caberlot variety is cultivated exclusively at Podere Il Carnasciale. The work in the vineyards is carried out with the utmost respect for the soil and the plants, with minimal intervention. Pruning, budding and leaf-management are all done by hand, and the winery does not employ chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. All sanitary treatments are natural and organic, and the grounds are laboured with partial greening. The yields from each vineyard and each day of harvest are fermented individually, and the use of sulphites is kept to a strict minimum.

Malolactic fermentation in barrel is followed by aging in carefully selected French fûts and barriques, of which 60% are new. The barrels are two-thirds Tronçais oak and one third Allier and Vosges, with blonde to medium toast. The wines are kept in wood for a period of 22 months, and are racked only once.

A tasting of each barrel is conducted in June, prior to bottling in September. The aim is to select the most complex and structured wines for Il Caberlot, and the more approachable wines for Carnasciale. Il Caberlot is bottled unfiltered, then matures for a further 18 months in the cellar, prior to release. Carnasciale, having undergone the same vinification and care as Il Caberlot, is a classic second wine, released 6 months after bottling.

“Il Carnasciale’s Caberlot has emerged as one of Italy’s most distinctive and highly-sought wines. With its cult status and tiny production, it is a wine many people have heard of, but few have actually tasted.”

— Antonio Galloni

Here is a short and informative video of owner Moritz Rogosky and Peter Schilling, enologist and winemaker at Podere Il Carnasciale.

From our visit in August 2023

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