Located in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, Rocca di Frassinello winery was born as a joint venture between Castellare di Castellina, historic winery in Chianti Classico, and Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Château Lafite. 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. A corner of pristine Maremma, between Bolgheri and Montalcino, blessed by a constant breeze channelled from the Tyrrhenian sea, wicking moisture and moderating the climate both in winter and summer. Since the beginning of this endeavour, Rocca di Frassinello’s Chief Winemaker and Vice President has been Alessandro Cellai, a proud pupil of Giacomo Tachis, the father of the Italian wine Renaissance. Vineyards of Sangioveto (a specific Sangiovese clone selected at Castellare that represents 50% of total hectares), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Vermentino planted on a medium-textured soil, with an excellent presence of Galestro stone, give birth to wines that combine the best of Italy and France. Low yields and exclusively manual harvesting in the vineyard, where synthetic chemicals are banned, the use of the gravity force in the winemaking process instead of oenological pumps, have the common goal of keeping the grape healthy. 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.
