Castello ColleMassari

ColleMassari is the most important and largest estate of the Montecucco appellation. The vineyards are located on the Montecucco hill that gives name to the appellation. The vines on the Montecucco hill are the oldest Sangiovese vines of the DOCG (more than 60 years old).

Montecucco is famous for its particularly favourable micro-climate. The Castello ColleMassari is not entirely a medieval castle or a feudal seat of power but a structure that is more reminiscent of a fortified hamlet or Grancia - a type of protected agricultural operation, founded by Cistercian monks and the Santa Maria della Scala Hospital in Siena in the 8th century.

During this era, they set up an agricultural system between Siena and the Maremma that consisted of 22 grancia, which helps to explain the name Massari. In the Middle Ages, the term 'massari' or 'massaro' referred to a representative of an agricultural organisation, an important part of which was the farmhouse was located in the centre (massa) of the area.

Claudio Tipa, together with his wife Maria and sister Maria Iris, has built a small wine empire with several branches scattered throughout Tuscany, starting with the purchase of the Castello ColleMassari winery. Sicilian by origin and president of the Montecucco Consortium, Tipa gave the Tuscan Parata variety, born from selections in collaboration with the University of Pisa, the lion's share, about 80%, among the red grapes of the vineyards.

To date, ColleMassari has earned an excellent reputation even beyond the borders of Maremma. It is therefore no surprise that the Gambero Rosso wine guide named the exemplary production site "Winery of the Year" in 2014.

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