Poggio Mandorlo, Tuscana, Italy

The Poggio Mandorlo Project began as a dream of longtime friends Roberto, Felice, Giuseppe and Fabio. With the common goal of exploring and promoting their beloved land, they decided in 2001 to fulfill this dream of growing and producing their own wines. With the guidance of the world renowned winemaker Roberto Cipresso, Poggio Mandorlo Wine Estate, located in Seggiano, Localita Ansidonina, at the foot of the extinct volcano Monte Amiata, became a reality. At present our winemaker is Mr. Paoletti Filippo, known as a “father” of some top quality Brunellos.

Poggio Mandorlo Wine Estate is located inside the Montecucco DOCG area, at the crossroads of Val d’Orcia and the outposts of Maremmas’ hilly region. This 94 acre estate, 30 acres of which are cultivated with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese grape- vines, also has approximately 3 acres of olive groves. The territory has a complex clay and limestone marl soil, rich in quartz and flint, with a predominant content of tufa and galestro in the higher slope levels. The 1300 foot mountain behind the vineyards, and the surrounding woods offer conditions that give the grapes a particular freshness which is maintained until the wine is bottled. The constant ventilation throughout the year is important in having wholesome grapes. The temperature variance between day and night enhances the ability of the grapes to mature properly. Only grapes grown in Poggio Mandorlo vineyards are used to produce our entire family of premium wines.

Here at Poggio Mandorlo, vineyards were planted at different times and utilized selected and rare Merlot and Cabernet Franc clones which originate in Saint-Emilion (the Bordeaux region), and acclimated to our Italian climate under the supervision of an expert horticulturalist. The Sangiovese clones originate from Montalcino. With all the care and love we afford our grapes, you can be assured that Poggio Mandorlo wines offer elegant and delicate cha- racter with a strong structure and bold intensity.

The two Montecucco Sangiovese doc, the genuine “Il Guardiano” and the more complex “La Querce” have long been appreciated as value and racy style wines.

Poggio Mandorlo and Ombre have received awards from both Italian and International experts and most wine magazines rank them as Super Tuscans of a superior quality. Our wine cellar was designed to enclose the entire 16,000 plus square foot building into the surrounding hilly landscape. A minimum environmental impact was a must for the team of architects who designed the three levels of the wine cellar. Local materials were recycled from the vineyards excavation work and have been used in parts of the vineyards and the cellars stone walls. The winemaking area follows the principles of modern enology with state of the art equipment, necessary in obtaining the excellence Poggio Mandorlo wines are known for.

“A lot of good things in our life happen by accident and it’s just like this that I began cooperating with Poggio Mandorlo.

I was long since interested in the wonderful territory of DOCG Montecuoco with its mountain, valleys and its generous volcanic soil. The sides of Mount Amiata aren’t only a pre-mountain landscape but also and above all a succession of little zones with a very high wine gift. The microclimate mitigated by the winds from Maremma and the extraordinary richness of the volcanic soils make this zone a little paradise for the production of quality wines. And it has been by accident that one day a group of friends who had joined to produce wine, invited me to visit their business. The first time I saw Poggio Mandorlo I understood that it was a particular place, a mix of climatic and agronomic conditions I had never met before. The sensation I had is that it was a spot to listen and understand, where there was no place for straining or banalities.

A winemaker in Poggio Mandorlo cannot be the main character, but only a stooge on the terroir’s service, that is the real protago- nist and star performer.

My approach with oenology has always been characterized by humility, meant as putting myself on the wine’s service, not to mould it, but to help it expressing; I think this philosophy is the only one suitable for Poggio Mandorlo’s reality. In front of a so big potentiality you cannot but put yourself aside, working not to give your style to the wines, but to exalt the real nature of this place. And it’s like this that I plan my job, trying to obtain the maximum from each vineyard, in order to achieve the maximum expression of the terroir without exaggerating.

Each grape has its history and exigencies, so each species of vine is turned into wine in different ways, in order to express it at its best. Technology helps a lot the technician in his work, the knowledge dictates times and ways in our work, but it is all useless if you don’t have clear in your mind that the real soul of the wines produced is not in our intentions but in the environment that surrounds us.

Producing great wines in Poggio Mandorlo not only is possible, but simply natural. The excellent technology available in the winery, the meticulous care of the vineyards and the deep knowledge of the zone allow operating in an excellent way and obtaining several different wines, fascinating and unique in their complexity.

The freshness of Guardiano, the variety’s precision of La Querce and the powerful structure of Poggiomandorlo demonstrate how great is the potential of this corner of Tuscany. Our wines have a great evolutionary potential and time is an ally for our bottles

that, in the course of time, present with always new emotions, also thanks to the wise and always moderate use of woods.

Poggio Mandorlo is a reality made of earth, passion and knowledge, where the absolute quality every day rewards the work of peo- ple which dedicate their life at producing great wines. A reality that with no shadow of doubt in the future will give always bigger satisfactions to those who appreciate not only flavours and tastes but also the soul and personality of wine. “ -Mr. Filippo Paoletti