The bottle where Vino Nobile di Montepulciano meets Milanese design

"2015 was a vintage of great harmony for Avignonesi and for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as a whole," says Avignonesi's chief marketing and communication officer Daniele Carlini. "A well-managed yield, especially for Sangiovese, combined with good vegetative balance, moderate water stress, and favourable weather during key phenological phases led to wines that are warm, expressive, and balanced. Despite high temperature peaks, the conditions from September onward allowed the grapes to reach excellent technological and phenolic maturity, resulting in wines that are both powerful and elegant."

It was this "harmony" which played a key role in the estate's decision to release a special edition of the wine late last year, a decade after its harvest.

"The suitability of 2015 for a late release lies both in the nature of the vintage and in a deliberate choice made by Avignonesi. Since 2013, the estate has set aside a small percentage of its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano each year, with the idea of re-releasing it after ten years, once the wine has reached full expressive maturity. The 2015 vintage, with its balance, concentration, and well-defined tannic structure, has aged early but very well," explains Carlini. "Today it shows complete harmony, softened freshness, and clear typicity, making it ideal to be enjoyed now, at its peak."

Design

To make this late-release extra special, Avignonesi teamed up with Milan-based design studio Bonvini 1909 to create an artwork for the label.

"The collaboration with Bonvini 1909 stems from a shared sensitivity toward stories, details, care, and craftsmanship. Bonvini was originally founded as a historic printing house and has long been a place where attention to materials, gestures, and artisanal processes is central. Over time, it has become a cultural space driven by a passion for beautiful objects made to last," says Carlini.

Indeed, he suggests that there are certain overlaps between the winemaking philosophy of Avignonesi at its Le Capezzine winery and the artistic approach of Carlo Stanga, the illustrator and architect who created the piece.

"Avignonesi’s winemaking philosophy and the artistic approach of Carlo Stanga share a deep attention to place, time, and detail. Avignonesi works with patience, allowing the landscape, seasons, and human care to shape each wine, with the belief that harmony is built over time," shares Carlini. "Carlo Stanga, trained as an architect and is best known for his work on cities and urban environments. Approaching Le Capezzine represented a fascinating and new challenge for him: translating a rural, agricultural setting into a structured and meaningful visual language. One of his distinctive qualities is his ability to see beyond the visible, to build imaginative, almost fantastic narratives that originate from concrete, real elements."

"In both cases," he adds, "the process is rooted in observation, respect for context, and the desire to create work that endures and resonates over time."

The artwork, created by Stanga after he spent several days at the estate, is titled The Tree of Life.

"The tree is born in the courtyard of Le Capezzine and gradually fills with key figures from agricultural life, while Montepulciano appears in the background," Carlini explains. "It is a symbolic image that reflects what the estate has been historically and what it represents today: in the 19th century a model farm and a place of learning and innovation, and now once again a space for exchange, encounter, and agricultural experimentation as a core part of our identity."

In total, 9,000 bottles with the accompanying artwork have been created, and although it may make for a fine collectable, Carlini envisages it more as "something to be displayed, lived with, and revisited, carrying the spirit of Le Capezzine beyond the bottle".

Avignonesi plans to further continue the project and will launch a limited edition late-release Vino Nobile di Montepulciano with a unique label and presentation box each year, as it previously did for the 2013 and 2014 vintages and which were also released after a decade of ageing.

"The goal is to build an ongoing narrative, where artists are invited to capture and reinterpret the spirit of the estate, using art as a way to tell its story and reinforce its identity over time."

Avignonesi plans to present its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2015 Late Release at selected upcoming Top Italian Wines Roadshow events.