Rocca delle Macie is a “young” winery, especially if compared to centuries of history that characterize the most famous wineries in the Chianti area. Nevertheless it is already known in the wine world as a prestigious winery. The company was founded in 1973 by Italo Zingarelli, whom, after various and positive experiences in the movie production and distribution, decided to make a dream of his childhood come true: buy a big farm and turn it into a model farm. After he visited the village called Le Macìe, located on a hilltop in the Castellina in Chianti municipality, he felt he had found what he was looking for: he called his “discovery” Rocca delle Macìe (in Tuscan dialect “macìa” a group of stones, and Rocca delle Macìe stands for stony, rocky hilltop stronghold.)
During the first months of 1973 the Zingarelli’s started the restoration works of the buildings of the farm, dated XIV century, and at the same time the agricultural sector was boosted with planting of new vineyards and olive groves. At that time the property extension was of 200 hectares and only one hectare was cultivated with vineyard.
By the end of the same year started the restoration works of the newly acquired farm of Sant’Alfonso, which enlarged the properties of Rocca delle Macìe. Italo’s love for the country together with a newer mentality of agricultural investment brought to the construction of a cellar provided with the most modern equipments located sideways to Rocca delle Macìe village.
Rocca delle Macìe wines appear on the Italian and foreign markets in 1978 and immediately they have been welcomed with enthusiasm, especially by restaurants and wine shops. These first successes encouraged Italo to keep investing in the wine field and in 1984 he bought a new farm called Fizzano, already well known for the quality of its wines.
In 1985 Sergio, Italo’s son, started working in the winery side by side with his father. At first he followed and developed the Italian market and then the foreign market. Since 1989 Sergio has the complete management of the winery.
Thanks to successful marketing strategies directed to a medium-high level of customers, the winery shortly reached important goals. Today Rocca delle Macìe wines can be found in the best restaurants all over the world: United States, Canada, Germany, Japan, Brazil, and besides Italy, also in other 45 countries.
The big and continuous efforts that the Zingarelli’s family have put into trying to blend together agricultural investment with respect for the environment where they were working, brought Oscar Luigi Scalfaro , the President of Italian Republic, to honour Italo Zingarelli with the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro as a recognition of his work in the wine world.
In 1998 the winery’s property enlarged with new acquirement of Le Tavolelle and Campomaccione estates: the first one is located in the municipality of Castellina in Chianti, close to Le Macìe. The second estate is located in the province of Grosseto, within the borders of Morellino di Scansano DOCG.
Rocca delle Macìe produces also extra virgin olive oil, honey and a delicious Grappa, all of them typical products of Tuscany.
Of the 550 hectares of land owned, 206 are vineyards, 25 are olive groves for a total number of 9.000 olive trees and 13 hectares are planted with flowers for the production of honey. Both olive oil and honey are produced within the property, honey at S.Alfonso estate while olives are pressed in the oil mill located in Fizzano.
In the old village of Fizzano, dated XI century, a refined country relais has been created to welcome all the guests that want to spend some time in the very heart of Chianti Classico region.
The restoration works, which have been personally followed by Sergio’s brother, the architect Fabio Zingarelli, have been done preserving the country environment and in full respect of the original Tuscan structure. The relais includes 21 finely furnished apartments, and offers all the best and modern comforts (facilities for impaired people, children playground, swimming pool with children area, mountain bike service for rides in the Chianti countryside). Riserva di Fizzano relais has been working since the spring of 1997 and since 1999 a typical restaurant has been opened together with a shop selling all the products of the winery.
Only very few wineries can be compared to such a unique reality thanks to the continuous efforts of the Zingarelli’s family to bring out the value of the Chianti traditions and at the same time enlarging the winery’s incomes and activities.
FROM THE VINEYARDS TO THE CELLARS: THE PRODUCTION
Without good raw materials is not possible to produce good wines. For this reason at Rocca delle Macìe care for quality starts in the over 200 hectares of vineyards of the estates of Le Macìe, Fizzano, Sant’Alfonso, Le Tavolelle, and Campomaccione, owned by the winery, and other prestigious farms hold on lease with long term contracts.
The vineyards are planted in the historical territory of Chianti Classico in Tuscany on hills located between 200 and 600 meters above the see level, and exposed from South to Southwest.
The soil composition, which is mainly composed of clay shists, sands, and layers of marly and limestone, together with the climate conditions (cold winters, hot and sunny summers, rainy springs and autumns) turns this territory into a unique “terroir” which is perfect for the growing of both native and foreign vines.
The quality of the grapes is guaranteed by the workmanship of the operators and by a very careful and selective growing of the vineyards. Green harvest by the month of July and leaves plucking during the month of August are operations usually done to allow the clusters to grow at their best. Moreover selective pruning after vintage guarantees low yields per hectare. At Rocca delle Macìe fertilization is completely organic and fight against vine’s diseases is done in respect the environment. In fact since several years ago the winery follows the Integrated Viticulture regulation which rules the use of the lowest quantity of chemical substances in the fields.
During the harvest grapes are all picked by hand after a careful selection of healthy bunches which are immediately transported to the winery in covered trucks to avoid dust or smashing of the berries in case of a sudden rain.
In the cellar grapes are soft-pressed and the must first and the wine later are constantly controlled by winemakers and cellar men with the best modern equipments starting with a temperature controlled system for maceration, oak barrels for maturation, ending with an automatic bottling line.
More than 7.000 hectolitres of wine are aged in Slovenian and French oak, in prestigious barriques and in the typical “caratelli” for the Vin Santo. The total capacity of the cellar reaches therefore over 50.000 hectolitres.
Even if the winery is still young, Rocca delle Macìe, following its quality program, has already started to remove some of the oldest vineyards and to replant new ones with vines coming from the best clones selections, and giving more space to varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Colorino. These two varieties which allow to produce successful wines for the a worldwide market, are accepted by the Chianti Classico disciplinary for the production of said D.O.C.G..
2020 HOSPITALITY, TOURS AND TASTINGS
Wine Tasting
Always available: during opening hours with tasting of various types of wine
€ 5,00 pp
Classic Tour
Guided tour of the cellars with tasting of 4 wines
and a taste of organic extra virgin olive oil.
Duration
1.5 hours € 20.00 pp
Gran Cru Tour
Visit of the vineyard “Le Terrazze” and the cellars followed by the tasting of 4 wines
Combined with local specialties
Duration 2 hours (minimum 4pax) € 35.00 pp
The Gran Selezione Sergio Zingarelli
Exclusive visit to the vineyard “Le Terrazze” and the cellars followed by tasting of 4 vintages of the prestigious cru,
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Sergio Zingarelli, combined with local specialties
2 hours € 55.00 pp
Wine Tour & Tuscan Brunch at Altroché Wine Bar
Guided tour of the cellar followed by “Tuscan lunch” at the Rocca delle Macìe’s Wine bar in Castellina in Chianti
4 courses at your choice from the menu combined with 4 most representative wines of the winery
2/3 hours € 40.00 pp
Wine and Food Experience at Riserva di Fizzano
A lunch in the hamlet
Guided tour of the cellars with tasting of 4 wines, followed by a lunch (from Monday to Friday) at the Riserva di Fizzano hamlet consisting of 3 courses at your choice with 2 wines of Rocca delle Macìe
2/3 hours 50.00€ pp
Passo Dopo Passo Osteria
A new Experience at Riserva di Fizzano
Guided tour of the cellars followed by a tasting of 4 wines with a taste of organic extra virgin olive oil
Lunch (Saturday – Sunday) or dinner (except Tuesday) at the Osteria Passo dopo Passo with a 5-course menu
Selected by Chef Maurizio Bardotti combined with 2 wines of Rocca delle Macìe
3 hours 80.00€ pp