Castello del Terriccio

Overview

Estate

Castello del Terriccio is one of the largest estates in Tuscany, covering about 1,497 ha and located roughly 10 miles north of Bolgheri, sloping down toward the Tyrrhenian Sea. With its wines joining the ranks of the world’s finest reds, the estate belongs to an exclusive group of Italian wine producers and has helped elevate Maremma, Tuscan, and Italian wines worldwide.

Climate

Castello del Terriccio has a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Its proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea moderates temperatures, with sea breezes cooling the area and reducing the risk of extreme heat. This climate is ideal for grape growing, providing sunny days, cool nights, and most of the rain in autumn and winter.

Soil

The soils contain minerals such as iron and copper, mixed with sand, silt, and clay, creating a balanced interaction.

Vineyards

Vine cultivation on our estate dates back to Etruscan times, with a new phase beginning in the late 1980s. International grape varieties, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, were selected. In the early 1990s, Syrah and Petit Verdot were introduced for experimentation and expansion, using microvinification to assess their adaptation and expression.

Cultivation

The wines of Castello del Terriccio are the result of a unique terroir: mineral-rich soil, copper, and iron, along with the Mediterranean bush, eucalyptus trees, and sunlight. This combination has shaped the distinctive character of the Terriccio wines from the very beginning of their production.

Winery

Our winery’s winemaking methods are simple, focused on preserving the grapes’ original qualities and unique terroir. Vinification varies by varietal, parcel, and vintage, with wines aging in new Allier barriques—Lupicaia and Castello del Terriccio for 20-22 months, and Tassinaia for 14-16 months—then reused for Tassinaia. Each wine matures fully, with reds resting for months after bottling. Castello del Terriccio produces about 200,000 bottles annually.

Family

The modern history of Terriccio began in 1921, when the estate was purchased by the Marquises Serafini Ferri. Until the 1970s, about sixty sharecropping families lived at Terriccio. Castello del Terriccio gained fame as a top-quality winery thanks to Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana (1941-2019). Since late 2019, Vittorio Piozzo di Rosignano Rossi di Medelana, Gian Annibale’s nephew, has managed the estate. A noble descendant with a background in finance, Vittorio now oversees the estate’s agricultural activities.

Winemaker

Carlo Ferrini, a renowned winemaker who has been consulting since 1992, plans to reduce production by limiting grape yields to 900 grams per plant. This approach promotes natural richness, concentration, high polyphenolic content, strong structure, softness, and aging potential.

Focus Point

• Wines that embody the character of the terroir and landscape. • Wines that can be produced only on this specific stretch of land. • Wines with remarkable aging potential. • Wines that stand out for their distinct character from all other wines in the region. • Unique flagship wines (Gian Annibale). • A history dating back 2500 years to the Etruscans (our logo, the red sun, originates from Etruscan times).