Rocca di Frassinello

Rocca di Frassinello is perched on the northern hill formed along the ancient Via Aurelia, which creates a natural canyon funneled by sea breezes from the plains between Castiglione della Pescaia and Grosseto. This constant breeze eliminates humidity and moderates the climate year-round. From the hilltop, the view stretches beyond Marina di Grosseto to the Uccellina Park.

The estate was born from an Italian-French joint venture, featuring nearly 90 hectares of vineyards planted with both Italian varieties — Sangioveto and Vermentino — and French varieties — Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz. The wines are primarily blends, except for Baffonero, a 100% Merlot inspired by Masseto, crafted with the same spirit of challenge as the America's Cup. This philosophy contrasts with that of Castellare di Castellina, where native varietals are never blended with international ones. The first official harvest was in 2004, yielding approximately 130,000 bottles.

Rocca di Frassinello collaborated with renowned architect Renzo Piano, who brought both his artistic vision and a personal connection to the project, rooted in a long-standing friendship with Paolo Panerai and his own family’s winemaking heritage. Piano designed a winery with essential, functional forms—not as a monument, but as a space that highlights the almost sacred, yet humble, nature of winemaking.

Unlike traditional wineries with a horizontal layout, Piano reimagined the space by centering the barriccaia—the heart of the winery, where the wine ages and evolves in barrels. This underground cellar maintains optimal temperature and humidity naturally. The barriccaia is a striking 40x40-meter square with a massive unsupported ceiling. Surrounding it is a 20-meter-wide frame housing all production cycle functions.

On two sides of the structure are the steel fermentation vats, each positioned beneath an opening on the roof, which doubles as a large courtyard (sagrato, as Piano calls it). During harvest, grapes, carefully selected and transported in small crates, are gently dropped through these openings directly into the fermentation vats, avoiding the use of pumps that could compromise quality. The remaining sides house bottling, storage, and logistical functions.

Rocca di Frassinello seamlessly combines cutting-edge design, respect for tradition, and a commitment to producing wines that embody the unique character of its extraordinary terroir.

Rocca di Frassinello, a collaboration between Castellare di Castellina and Domaines Baron de Rothschild-Lafite, produces a range of exceptional wines that blend Italian and French winemaking traditions. Here are some of their notable offerings:

Baffonero: A pure Merlot, Baffonero is crafted with uncompromising quality, earning high praise from international critics. It stands as a testament to the estate's dedication to excellence.

Rocca di Frassinello San Germano: Cultivated on the historic San Germano hill, where vines have thrived for 3,000 years, this wine represents the new Grand Cru of Rocca di Frassinello, reflecting a millennia-old winemaking tradition.

Rocca di Frassinello Bianco: Made from Vermentino grapes sourced from the estate's most suitable vineyards, this white Grand Cru boasts great persistence and the ability to age gracefully in the bottle.

Rocca di Frassinello: The flagship wine, it harmoniously combines the finesse of Sangioveto with the structure of Cabernet and the softness of Merlot, achieving a balance founded on elegance.

Le Sughere di Frassinello: By its fifth vintage, this wine was already featured in Wine Spectator's Top 100. It offers great aromatic complexity while maintaining remarkable freshness.

Ornello: Created in homage to the Maremma cowboys known as 'butteri,' this wine includes 20% Syrah, imparting a seductive spiciness to its rich texture.

Poggio alla Guardia Vigne Alte: Produced from grapes grown in the estate's highest vineyards, this wine showcases a spicy character and is exceptionally drinkable, serving as an introduction to the estate's more aged labels.

Each of these wines reflects Rocca di Frassinello's commitment to producing high-quality wines that embody the unique terroir of the Tuscan Maremma region.