Podere San Michele

Podere San Michele lies in the Upper Tuscan Maremma, among vineyards and olive groves on the plain between the ancient Via Aurelia and the sea of San Vincenzo, on the Etruscan Coast. Its story spans more than seventy years of dedication to the land, respect for tradition and love for the fruits it gives. The farm was founded after the Second World War as a small family business. Today it is run by the third generation, who carry on the values and methods handed down over time.

Grapes and olives are still harvested by hand. The family follows the natural rhythms of the land, with minimal intervention and sustainable farming, and works in the cellar without forcing the wine. The cellar is the heart of the estate, where the fruit of a year's work in the vineyard is transformed. Some wines age in oak barrels, which add complexity and structure and shape their colour, aromas and taste. This step requires patience, care and a deep knowledge of how wine and wood interact.

Visitors can taste the estate's wines, extra virgin olive oil and grappa in a new tasting room, paired with local cheeses, cured meats and other products of the area. The farm also has guest rooms, so travellers can stay among the vines, close to the beaches of San Vincenzo and the historic villages of the Etruscan Coast.

At Podere San Michele the family grows four grape varieties on about five hectares of vineyards: Syrah, Sangiovese, Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon. All vines are grafted onto selected rootstock. This technique combines the resistance of the rootstock with the quality of the noble varieties and improves the health, yield and longevity of the vineyard. Syrah and Viognier grow on stony, well-drained soils, with a mild climate and wide differences between day and night temperatures. The wines include Allodio Sangiovese, Allodio Viognier, Alaterno Syrah and Le Corbe.

Syrah is aged in wood, which gives it body, structure and complexity, with notes of black pepper, berries, violets and liquorice. Viognier is aged in stainless steel and then in the bottle. It shows aromas of white flowers and yellow fruit, with a savoury taste and a long finish.

Sangiovese, the authentic voice of Tuscany, is made in the traditional way and aged in large casks. It offers cherry, plum and violet with light earthy and spicy notes, and gives a balanced, fresh and long-lived wine. Cabernet Sauvignon gives wines intense in colour and tannins, with aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and plum.

Beyond wine, the estate produces a Grappa Riserva from selected pomace and a cold-extracted extra virgin olive oil from local olive varieties.