WHO WE ARE
We are in the south of the Tuscan Maremma, near the medieval village Capalbio.
Our Maremma is still a very wild territory: 198,000 hectares, the 44%, are covered by woods and wooded lands, only 2% by vineyards. A few kilometers from us, towards the hinterland, thanks to the almost total absence of light pollution, there is the purest and most starry night sky in Peninsular Italy, and not surprisingly the highest concentration of observatories in the country.
Ours is a small valley in the first hills, 15 km from the sea, at an average altitude of 145m ASL. We take care of 142 hectares, 30 of which are vineyards, 20 of olive trees, the rest are free fields and woods. The Monteti hill, a prehistoric volcano, which separates us from Capalbio, protects us from the strong winds of the Mediterranean, allowing a constant gentle breeze that runs through our valley, to and from the sea, for the benefit of our vines.
The nearby sea, visible towards the south from the highest point of the vineyard, the Mediterranean scrub, the woods and sunny fields, the Monteti and the breeze, the hills towards north up to Mount Amiata, create a magic of perfumes, lights, nuances and intensity, which are the true source of inspiration for our wines and work.
ABOUT US
The territory The story The team
The territory
The story
The team
When does our story begin? If we really need to establish a date, it begins in 1998, when Gemma and Paolo Baratta, after years of research in Tuscany, discovered this small valley in the Southern Maremma, a few kilometers from the sea and guarded by a magnetic prehistoric volcano, the Monteti hill.
But the stories of those who produce wine never have certain dates. Perhaps it began in the childhood apprenticeship during the war years spent by Paolo in his grandparents’ countryside, in the youthful experiments among the vines of the family home in the Oltrepò Pavese, in the mature desire to return to the land, in the unconditional love of both for nature, landscape and adventure… There are many beginnings.
The fact is that at a certain point this story also overwhelmed their daughter Eva and her husband Javier Pedrazzini, who in 2010 left their careers (she as a documentary maker, he as a diplomat) to join the management of the company.
Going back to 1998, for Gemma and Paolo it was love at first sight: a small valley in the first hills that lead to the sea, protected and ventilated, an uncontaminated, sylvan and wooded Mediterranean landscape, a perfect exposure, perfect inclination, the right size for a project important and ambitious, but very personal.
Being able to start from scratch, without the protective net of a local tradition, gave the Barattas the freedom to listen only to the soil and climate, and to plant the varieties that would best express personality and elegance.
Supported by oenologist Carlo Ferrini, consultant from the beginning, Gemma and Paolo chose to plant Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Alicante Bouschet, which soon found a very personal expression in these archaic Mediterranean hills.
In a few years of intense planning and hard work, the ruined old pasture fields were transformed into a model vineyard. The cellar was built to integrate with the landscape, by 2/3 underground and designed to work in gravity and with the parcel method. It was completed in 2004, the year of our first vintage.
During the land preparation work, the bulldozers encountered gigantic boulders. They were extracted with great caution and, due to their monumental beauty, they were placed along the roads and around the vineyards, to act as guardians. They are the symbol of the Estate, a symbol of respect, of the strength of intuition and of determination in its realization.
The company has developed an ever-increasing attention to respect for the environment in all aspects of the production process. Since 2017, with a biennial exam, it has obtained the V.I.V.A. “Sustainable Vitiviniculture” Certification by the Italian Ministry of the Environment.
In 2018 Tenuta Monteti acquired the nearby property, across the road and on the slopes of the Monteti hill, thus incorporating 5000 organic olive trees, new woods, and 6 hectares of fields on which to plant new vineyards. We have introduced a new variety, Mourvèdre.
The current total extension is 142 hectares, 30 of which are vineyards, 20 of olive grove, the rest are free fields and woods. Beloved gardens surround the buildings.
ABOUT US
The territory The story The team
The territory
The story
The team
Eva Baratta and Javier Pedrazzini
General Manager and Production Supervisor & Sales Manager
Born in Rome and born in Buenos Aires, they met in 1999. After living in different countries, in 2010 they left their respective careers as documentary filmmaker and Argentine diplomat to dedicate themselves to Tenuta Monteti.
Roberto Rossi
Agronomist
In the company since the beginning, as agricultural manager he masterfully coordinates the care of the vineyards, olive trees, woods and gardens.
Michela Bussu
Winemaker
Graduated from the University of Pisa, after various work experiences, she joined Tenuta Monteti in 2022 as winery manager oenologist.
Aurora Nucci and Francesca Falaschi
Office
Aurora takes care of visits, events and direct sales.
Francesca manages the commercial and administrative practices.
Silvio, Francesco, Nicoleta, Angela, Marilena, Michela, Ketj, Stefania, Pier Giovanni, Cherubino, Emiliano, Alessandro, Cesare, Angelo, our field and cellar collaborators.