Colle Massari

Castello Colle Massari - where the Etruscans already grew wine

Castello Collemassari is a winery located in southern Tuscany. The estate is an ancient castle, which is where the name comes from. Wine was already grown here in Etruscan times. The winery itself began in the 8th century, when Cistercian monks founded a farm here. In the Middle Ages, the name "Massari" referred to a steward of this farm who was based at the center(massa) of many individual farms. 

Colle Massari today

in 1998, Maria Iris Bertarelli and Claudio Tipa acquired the winery and began a new era within its ancient walls. in 2000 they produced their first vintage, and in 2014 they succeeded in being named "Cellar of the Year" in Gambero Rosso. The winery is one of four which today all belong to Collemassari Wine Estates. In addition to the parent winery, these are Grattamacco, San Giorgio and Poggio di Sotto.

Location and viticulture at Colle Massari

The winery is located on the foothills of Monte Amiata, halfway between Florence and Rome, in the protected Montecucco DOC appellation. The estate is located quite far inland at 320 meters above sea level, where cool winds blow but the days are also subject to strong temperature fluctuations. The estate has 1210 hectares, 120 of which are under vines. 90 hectares are olive groves, 400 hectares are mixed crops. The remaining, large part with about 600 ha is forest land.

The main grape variety cultivated is Sangiovese, typical of Tuscany. The selection of the individual clones of this grape variety took place in cooperation with the University of Pisa. The following grape varieties are also cultivated:

• Ciliegiolo
• Montepulciano
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Vermentino
• Grechetto

The vines grow on soils of sandstone, gravel, limestone and clay. The vinification takes place in the cellars of the castle, which extend over several floors. This allows the grape material and the mash to be transported gently by gravity. The cellars offer a cool climate due to their location in the rock, no artificial cooling down is necessary.

In the cellar of the castle

Aging takes place mainly in stainless steel, for some wines small wooden barrels are used for aging. For example, the Poggio Lombrone, which is obtained from 50-year-old vines, is aged entirely in wood and the must is submerged daily to obtain a longer maceration time.