Terroir

T for Terroir

At the base of the quality of our wines is the territory of Montalcino, an area particularly suited to viticulture, composed of predominantly cretaceous soils below 200 metres above sea level, which then become sand and rising in altitude stratifications of marl rocks. An area also exposed to the tramontana, a cold, dry wind that sanitises the grapes, and to the scirocco, which can be harmful in summer.

The vineyards of the Palazzo estate are all east-facing and slope gently from 350 to 320 metres above sea level. The estate is situated on the slopes of the eastern side of Montalcino, open to the natural theatre of the Val d'Orcia and protected from the sea breezes coming in from the west.

The particular position in a well-ventilated area guarantees an optimal microclimate, without humidity stagnation and wetness during the growing season and natural protection from the main vine diseases (botrytis and downy mildew). Our special microclimate also favours the long preservation of the bunches of grapes in the vineyard, ensuring healthy grapes in the cellar and the right degree of ripeness, especially in terms of polyphenolic aspects.

The vines grow on soil with fairly important components of both clay and skeleton, formed mainly of marl rocks.

In the highest and steepest part of the vineyard, layers of marl predominate, giving powerful wines with an important structure, intense, with sweet, soft and elegant tannins and ripe fruit aromas; it is from this vineyard that a small quantity of the grapes for the cru Cosimo are harvested.

As you go downhill, the type of soil changes, the percentage of marl decreases and the percentage of clay increases, even the sandy and tufaceous components, which contribute to the wines' fresh, elegant, complex and intense, but at the same time savoury and mineral aromas.

All wines of great character and roundness but above all of extraordinary concentration.

Vineyards

Low yields and always ripe grapes: ventilated by the forest, sunny from dawn to dusk.

The Palazzo Estate encompasses 4.2 hectares of vineyards, 2 hectares of olive groves and 4.5 hectares of woodland; which are the natural lungs of our estate and a precious resource for the correct vegetative balance of the vines.

When Cosimo Loia planted the first vine shoots in 1985, he identified the best areas for viticulture, both in terms of soil composition and in terms of slope and exposure.

Our five vineyards, which are now approaching 40 years of age, are immersed in an enchanting setting, sloping down from 350 to 320 metres above sea level looking towards the spectacular Val d'Orcia, facing east from dawn to dusk and situated on the edge of a large wooded area, well protected from the sea breezes coming in from the west, from the Montalcino ridges.

The 360-degree view also takes in other jewels of southern Tuscany: the Apennines, the Crete Senesi, Mount Amiata, the hills of Montalcino and the medieval town.

A few metres from the winery and the family home there is also an open-air tasting terrace, which is an authentic belvedere over the Unesco areas of the Val d'Orcia.

The dirt road below the entrance to the winery is dotted, in keeping with Tuscan agricultural tradition, with rows of cypress trees that were planted by our founders, father Cosimo and mother Antonietta.

At the head of the rows of vines, on the other hand, you will always find a rose bush, a kind presence that informs us well in advance of any phytosanitary attacks, so that we can intervene promptly.

In our vineyards we cultivate Sangiovese grosso grapes with low yields per hectare, less than 65 quintals, thus below the maximum limit set by the production regulations of Brunello di Montalcino Docg.
The strict selection of the bunches during the vegetative cycle allows the grapes to ripen well and arrive at the harvest in optimal conditions for the production of quality wines.

The house and cellar are surrounded by 4 of our 5 vineyards: Vigneto Cosimo and downhill the Vigna del Bosco; the Vigna Bel Vedere and the Vigna della Pietra.
The fifth, Vigna del Rigo, is completely surrounded by woods.

Vigna del Rigo

PLANT DATE

2001

HA

0.5855

ALTITUDE

290 meters above sea level

Vigna del Rigo: The fifth, the farthest from the winery, is the Vigna del Rigo. Completely surrounded by woods, it is in the part of the estate closest to the slopes of Monte Amiata, at 300 metres above sea level. It has almost volcanic-like soil, grey, dark, even with black stone rocks.

Vigna Cosimo

PLANT DATE

1985

HA

1,0642

ALTITUDE

330/340 meters above sea level

Vigna della Pietra: The Vigna della Pietra takes its name from the ancient custom of using large stones and boulders as boundary markers. In fact, there used to be a dry stone wall near this land. It has marl and red earth soils. It is about 340 metres above sea level.

Vigna Bel Vedere 

PLANT DATE

1995/1999

HA

0,7522

ALTITUDE

320 meters above sea level

Vigna Bel Vedere: The Vigna Bel Vedere as the name suggests offers the most beautiful view of the landscape, 360 degrees over the Val d'Orcia, Monte Amiata, the village of Montalcino, the Apennines and the Crete Senesi. It is located just below our tasting terrace and is composed of predominantly rocky marl soils, about 330 metres above sea level.

Vigna del Bosco

PLANT DATE

1987

HA

0,8522

ALTITUDE

320 meters above sea level

Vigna del Bosco: The Vigna del Bosco completely overlooks the Val d'Orcia and half of it is surrounded by woodland, at about 320 metres above sea level. It has a nice variety of soils, more sandy and tuffaceous soils and significant components of clay and layers of skeleton.

Vigna della Pietra

PLANT DATE

1990/1991

HA

0,9254

ALTITUDE

320 meters above sea level

Vigneto Cosimo: The Vigneto Cosimo is the highest vineyard on the estate. From its grapes comes the Brunello cru dedicated to the founder, Cosimo Loia. Situated at 350 metres above sea level, its soil has a strong component of layers of marl.