Castellani’s business was established in Montecalvoli at the end of the 19th century as Alfred, long-standing wine grower, decides to start bottling and selling his wine.
Alfredo’s son, Duilio, together with his brother Mario start off the firm’s expansion period. Duilio, meticulous and diligent man, takes an active part in every working stage. The most important vineyard is the one located in Santa Lucia, in the fertile Arno Valley, where a lively and fit-for-ageing red wine is produced and bottled in typical straw-covered flasks, gaining the interest of transalpine markets. During the following years Duilio’s firstborn son Giorgio, determined and ambitious man, starts large scale export.
The 1966 flood causes great damage to the Montecalvoli winery. It is then decided to temporarily transfer the business to the Burchino Estate, on the hills of Terricciola village. Giorgio’s brother, Roberto, brilliant journalist at the newspaper “Il Giornale del Mattino” in Florence rushes to help shovelling mud from the family’s winery. He then decides to stay and contributes to the firm’s evolution.
Roberto, cultured and cosmopolitan man, starts a pioneer activity on far-away markets, becoming one of the advocates of Chianti’s international success. The acquisition of Poggio al Casone vineyard coincides with the extension of the winery at the Travalda Estate in Santa Lucia.
During the night of New Year’s Day in 1982 a fire burns almost completely down the firm premises. It seems to be the end. But within few months the Castellani brothers acquire the Campomaggio Estate and, thanks to the contribution of Piergiorgio, Roberto’s son, the business gathers strength.
Wine-growing and technological researches are furthered by clever specialists such as the oenologist Sabino Russo and the agronomist Carlo Burroni. Today this centenarian firm pursues very enthusiastically the aim of producing wines, which are the expression of one of the greatest oenological regions of the world: Tuscany.
“Since 1903 my family has been exporting its own finest Estate wines from Tuscany. We have changed and evolved over the decades, but throughout the years the philosophy of our work has remained consistent: “The quality of the wine begins in the vineyard”, as my ancestors used to say. Today, as we enter this century, our aim and aspiration is what it has always been: to create memorable wines. This is the reason why our work during the last ten years has been so passionate, investing in research and new cellar technologies.” – Piergiorgio Castellani