From the Aldobrandeschi to Antinori: a fattoria with medieval roots
The name says it all: Fattoria Aldobrandesca bears it rightly. Sovana, the tuff city in the southern Maremma, belonged first to the Etruscans, then to the Romans — and after being captured by the Lombards in the early Middle Ages, it was assigned to the powerful Aldobrandeschi family, who left their mark on this area for centuries. Viticulture was not a novelty here: the Etruscans already cultivated these hills, and the Romans continued the tradition. The fattoria as a winery today was established in the 18th century and passed into the possession of the Marchesi Antinori family in 1995 — one of Italy's oldest wine dynasties, which has been producing wine continuously since 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the Florentine Arte dei Vinattieri.
250 hectares of tuff: terroir as a program
The vineyards of Fattoria Aldobrandesca lie on 250 hectares on the slopes of a striking tuff spur on which Sovana is enthroned — embedded in a landscape of archaeological and scenic rarity. Volcanic soils with a tuff substrate fundamentally shape the terroir here: mineral-rich, well-drained, low in nutrients. The microclimate complements this foundation — warm days and significantly cooler nights slow down ripening and preserve the aromatic tension of the grapes right into the cellar. Winemaking follows the approach of letting the location and grape variety speak: cellar work and cultivation are geared towards reflecting the peculiarities of this volcanic terroir, not masking them. For the Vie Cave — the estate's Malbec — ten months of barrique aging are documented.
Aleatico and Malbec: two poles, one estate
What distinguishes Fattoria Aldobrandesca from other Antinori wineries is its clear focus on two very different characters. On one side is Aleatico — one of Italy's oldest indigenous grape varieties, which was traditionally used here for sweet specialties and now shows its floral and berry aromas in a dry form. The Rosato "A" — the name combines the initials of the winery with those of the grape — is the flagship product of this line: 100% Aleatico, salty minerality, lively acidity, suitable for fish dishes and fresh cheeses. On the other side is Malbec: Having achieved fame in South America, the variety finds a European terroir here in the Etruscan tuff zone that gives it depth and spice — dark berry fruit, clove, chocolate on the finish. Two worlds, two wines, one clearly defined winery.
