The Austrian entrepreneur Karl Egger and his family have been visitors to the region of Tuscany for decades. They fell in love with a small corner, just outside the medieval town of Radda in Chianti between the cities of Siena and Florence. The whole property, which covers an area of approximately 100ha, comprises of wooded hills, small rivers, and fertile plains. It is even a hamlet with a chapel, thus a small village, one could say, as this means Castiglioni in Italian. Its history goes back to the year 1078. At that time the monks of the nearby monastery Badia a Coltibuono founded this estate, which has been lovingly restored and reactivated by the Eggers in recent years. Nestled in between there are around 30 ha of mainly Sangiovese vineyards and some olive trees, some of them older than 60 years. 

The winery Tenuta di Carleone was born in 2012. Sean O’Callaghan, to his friends “IL GUERCIO” (one eyed rascal), was asked to join and help to build a small artisanal winery making classically defined Sangiovese with a Burgundian twist. Sean’s twist.. Sean O'Callaghan, on a holiday in Italy, after his wine studies in Germany, he met John Dunkley, the owner of Riecine, a thought leader in Chianti Classico and his oenologist Sergio Manetti (Montevertine – Le Pergole Torte), got the job as a winemaker and stayed just under a quarter of a century. Karl Egger gave Sean the opportunity to build the young winery Tenuta di Carleone, gave him a free hand in winemaking and let him rebuild the cellar. 

Organic and biodynamic principles are implemented in the vineyard. Nothing is added to the wines, the grappa, or the olive oil. No yeast and no fining agents are used. The Winery is right in the middle of Chianti Classico, within the original borders of the Chianti Storico. Consequently, their decision to honour the area and make a 100% Sangiovese that expresses the little corner of Radda in Chianti came up naturally. From stainless steel to wooden fermentation stands, oak barrels in various sizes to modern cement tanks as in the most expensive Bordeaux cellars. Sean is allowed to vinify every single plot as he sees fit. Long skin contact and slow fermentation, partly with whole grapes, bring the difference. 

   The wines of Sean O'Callaghan are often referred to as Burgundian, in terms of elegance and delicacy. 

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