La Madonnina is an estate winery in Castagneto Carducci in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany.

Staff: Consultant: Riccardo Cotarella.

Vineyards: 6ha of vines planted in 2002 in one spot. Block are separated by unsurfaced white roads bordered by cypresses. La Madonnina has 1 hectare of Bolgheri DOC and 5 hectares of Toscana IGT, subdivided into Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and a small portion of Petit Verdot. All the vineyards, planted with 10,000 vines per hectare, are trained by the Guyot system.

Yields: Average production per vine does not exceed 500 grams.

Soils: Mix of clay to sandy with medium low fertility.

Olives: 2ha of olive trees planted in the 1970s with the Leccino, Frantoio and Moraiolo varieties. Tradition tree spacing of 7 metre between trees in the row and between each row.

La Pineta: La Macchia del Bruciato, which occupies the western part of the estate, covers about 31 hectares, is a small natural jewel. In effect, it is what remains of the southern extension of the ancient Macchia di Bolgheri surveyed by the Catasto Leopoldino of 1765 and is a beautiful example of pine forest in the Tuscan hinterland, consisting of oak species in some stretches dominated by pine forest, with remarkable presence of cork. The wood is kept sparser in the vicinity of the fences, while in the wilder part, the maintenance is exclusively to the cleaning of the trees and of the shrubs dried in excess, so as to safeguard the habitat of all the wild species that dwell there: roe deer, wild boar, porcupines, hares, squirrels, small predators and several species of resident and migratory birds.

Red wines

La Madonnina, IGT Toscana Rosso: Aged in French oak

Bolgheri Superiore DOC, Opera Omnia: Fermented in stainless steel. MLF in barrel

Viator, IGT Toscana: 100% Syrah. Aged in new French oak.

Contact

La Madonnina

Via Bolgherese

Castagneto Carducci (LI), Italy

Website: www.lamadonninabolgheri.it