Rocca di Frassinello

Brand Description

Inaugurated in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma on June 30, 2007, the Rocca di Frassinello winery was born as a joint venture between Castellare di Castellina and Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Château Lafite, an unmistakable name in the greatest wines of France and of the world. A project in the center of Maremma, between Bolgheri and Montalcino, that benefits from the dually celebrated oenological experience of both partners. In this area the vine has historically flourished for about 3 thousand years since the time of the Etruscans, who cultivated it by utilizing surrounding trees as a support for the vines.

Location of Vineyard

Paolo Panerai and Barone Eric de Rothschild specifically selected the hill in front of the town of Giuncarico, in the municipality of Gavorrano, as the ideal place to cultivate vineyards. Here a constant breeze is channelled from the sea, wicking moisture and moderating the climate both in winter and summer. It took two years to unite the five plots that make up the estate’s 500 hectares, of which 83 are planted to vine. With conscious attention to environmental sustainability, the attentive project preserved forests inside the property boundaries encouraging biodiversity. Vineyards of Sangioveto (a specific Sangiovese clone selected at Castellare that represents 50% of total hectares), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Vermentino give birth to wines that combine the best of Italy and France. To further validate the international ambitions of the estate, architect Renzo Piano signed the project of the cellar: an elegant and highly functional building on the highest hill of the amphitheater of Rocca di Frassinello.

Winemaking Philosophy

“A great wine, before the cellar, is constructed in the vineyard”.

So is convinced Alessandro Cellai, Head Oenologist of Rocca di Frassinello and Executive Vice President of Domini Castellare di Castellina. “A winemaker’s signature on a wine is made of small, great interventions. It is crucial to be present in the moment to know just when to harvest. Then in the cellar it is essential to succeed in enhancing the quality of the grapes, but a good 70% of the work has already been done. The most important step, in fact, is the initial phase in the vineyard, before the wine becomes wine”.