Icario is a w inery in the Montepulciano region of Tuscany. It makes Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOC, and Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC.

Owner: Dr Helmut Rothenberger and family, from Frankfurt in Germany,  bought the estate in 2015 from Andrea and Alessandra Cecchetti (Icario srl), who had founded it in 1998. The latter stayed on in a management role for the Rothenbergers, whose business activities include mechanics, environmental technologies and real estate. The previous owners would buy in grapes to supplement those estate grown. Under Rothenberger the wines are 100% estate grown.

Staff: Vineyard manager: Andrea Della Lena (Rothenberger), replacing Stefano Rende (Cecchetti). | Consultant oenologist: Franco Bernabei (Rothenberger) replacing Paolo Vagaggini).

Vineyard: The Cecchetti family started in 1999 with 4 hectares (9.88 acres) and by 2013 had 20 hectares (49.4 acres) of which 8 hectares (19.76 acres) for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Production zone: Pietrose, in the northern sector of the Vino Nobile denomination.

Winery: In 2008 a new cellar was completed. All wines ferment in stainless steel (Anteprima 2020). Annual production 120,000 bottles.

White wines

Bianco, NYSA: Pinot Grigio, Traminer, and Pinot Nero.

Red wines

Icario Rosso: Sangiovese, Teroldego and Merlot.

Rosso di Montepulciano DOC: 2011 Bit stretched, sweet’n’sour, OK just about but lacking freshness and lift (Anteprima 2014). | 2017 80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot. 14.5%. 6m in wooden vats. Simple cherry fruit (2019 Anteprima). | 2018 Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon. Dry tannin (2020 Anteprima).

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG: 2002 Light, simple, green and peppery, simple (Consorzio, 8th March 2005). | 2008 Sangiovese 80%, Canaiolo 5%, Colorino 5%, Merlot 10%. | 2011 80% Sangiovese, 5% each Canaiolo and Colorino, 10% Merlot. Dry-tasting fruit, dull (Anteprima 2014).| 2013 Wild, acetic, fading fruit (Anteprima 2018). | 2016 Well made (2019 Anteprima). | 2017 15% alc. 15% each Colorino di Valdarno and Merlot. 

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG Riserva, Vitaroccia: 2016 95% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino di Valdarno and Merlot. Fermented in stainless steel. 36m in barrels and tonneaux. 5,000 bottles. A bit anonymous (2020 Anteprima).

Contact

Icario

Via delle Pietrose, 2

53045 Montepulciano (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0578 758845 | Website: www.icario.it