The Gracciano della Seta Estate
The Gracciano Estate is one of the oldest wineries in the Montepulciano region. In the beginning of the 19th century, Gracciano was owned by the Svetoni family who built the Villa and created the Italian-style gardens that surround it. With over 400 hectares and 22 farms, the very extensive Gracciano Estate also produced a wide variety of typical Tuscan products.
The property was inherited by the current owners, Marco, Vannozza and Galdina della Seta Ferrari Corbelli Greco, through their father Giorgio.Today, the winery covers roughly 70 hectares of which 20 are vineyards. The vines grow on the clay and silty soil of the Gracciano hills, one of the oldest and most prestigious crus of Montepulciano. Already in 1864 the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano produced by the then Svetoni winery (today Gracciano della Seta Estate) was awarded the first prize at the International Fair of Turin.
Giorgio della Seta, after working for many years abroad as a manager in a multinational company, decided to return to Tuscany and take up the family Estate. He proceeded to renew the vineyards and build, in 2013, a new winery alongside the traditional unit which is still used for ageing wine in wood.
The winery has always been run by renowned oenologists (such as Nicolò d’Afflitto from 1985 and Beppe Rigoli since 1995) who ensured that the Tenuta di Gracciano produced an excellent Vino Nobile, fully respecting the terroir and using autochthonous vines.
The Gracciano Estate 100 years ago
The new winemaking facility, designed by the Studio Caruso e Torricella in 2013, coexists harmoniously with the old buildings of the Estate, consisting of the Villa and the adjoining farmhouse, as well as with the garden and the surrounding countryside.
The sleek new buildings seem to blend perfectly with the sloping terrain. Their traditional red brick exterior, however, hides state-of-the-art wine-making equipment and machinery.
Ageing takes place in large Slavonian oak barrels (with a capacity of 25-50 hl) and tonneaux (with a capacity of 5 hl) of medium roasted French Allier oak.
A pneumatic wine press, a wine pump and a crusher-distemmer complete the equipment. The grapes are transported from the vineyards on carts with vibrating inclined planes and emptied directly into the crusher.
Giorgio della Seta / Owner
Giorgio della Seta was born in Florence. His work for an important Italian multinational company took him and his family to live in abroad for many years: Mexico, Belgium, the United States, Iran and Brazil. Upon his return to Tuscany he took up the family business; he renewed the vineyards and, in 2013, built a new winemaking unit alongside the original family winery which is still used for ageing wine in wood.
Beppe Rigoli / Oenologist
Born in Florence, Beppe received a Degree in Agriculture in 1983 and became a professional Agronomist in 1985.
In 1991 he received a Master’s Degree in Oenology from the Catholic University of Piacenza. Since 1985 he has been collaborating with Agriconsulting, an agricultural consulting company operating nationally and internationally, through which he has been involved in the activities of several wineries in the regions of Umbria and Tuscany.
Beppe has been collaborating with the Gracciano Estate since 1988, as a vineyard and management consultant until 1994 and, since 1995, as an oenologist in the place of Nicolò d'Afflitto.
His philosophy is based on the respect of the terroir: technological innovations in the wine-making and ageing processes are reduced to a minimum so as to respect the local grape varieties.
Vannozza della Seta / Agricultural entrepreneur
Vannozza della Seta, agricultural entrepreneur, is in charge of the family business since 2012. She is married to Aldo Paravicini Crespi who has been involved in biodynamic agriculture for over 30 years.
Julio Giuseppe Straccia / Production manager
Born in Offida in the Marche region, Julio graduated from the Istituto Agrario Enologico of Ascoli Piceno. He then received a Degree in Viticulture and Oenology, followed by a Degree in Agricultural Science. During his studies he worked for important wineries in the regions of Marche and Trentino Alto Adige. In 2015 he moved to the Tuscan hills and started his collaboration with the Gracciano della Seta Estate and its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Francesco Paolo Buonvino / Cellarman
Francesco Paolo Buonvino has been working with the Gracciano Estate since 1998, and is responsible for the agronomic and oenological activity of the Estate.
He was born in Carife (Benevento), but has lived in Tuscany since childhood. Francesco loves working in the vineyards but also in the wine cellars and his wide experience, coupled with his quick mind, make him one of the Estate’s most valuable assets.