Podernuovo a Palazzone

Podernuovo a Palazzone sits in the southern corner of Tuscany, right where the borders of three regions meet: Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio. The estate is located in Palazzone, a tiny hamlet near San Casciano dei Bagni in the province of Siena. This place has history. Back in ancient times, Palazzone was a post station along the Via Cassia, then became an outpost of the nearby Fighine Castle. The area was already growing vines in the 1950s, mainly Sangiovese. When Paolo and Giovanni Bulgari purchased the property in 2004, they found abandoned vineyards and a landscape waiting to be reawakened. They replanted 26 hectares with Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The terroir here is special: blue clay and limestone soils, a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters, and significant day-night temperature swings that keep the reds fresh and balanced.

Giovanni Bulgari is the creative force behind this project. Yes, he comes from the famous jewelry family, but his passion lies in the vineyards. His love for winemaking started with childhood memories of his grandmother's small vineyard in Frascati, where he helped during harvest. The winery itself, designed by architect Massimo Alvisi, is a stunning piece of contemporary architecture that blends seamlessly into the landscape. Giovanni's philosophy is simple: elegance, harmony and respect for the environment. He works with minimal intervention, using organic principles like grass-covered rows and fava beans for fertilization. The estate has achieved near-zero carbon emissions thanks to photovoltaic panels and geothermal systems. Giovanni wanted to interpret this terroir with humility, understanding that grapes and soil have specific needs that must be respected to produce exceptional wines.

Podernuovo produces a focused range of wines, each with its own story. Therra is the entry-level red, a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that changes slightly each vintage. The name evokes the authentic flavors of Tuscan earth. Argirio is a pure Cabernet Franc, named after argilla, the Italian word for clay, because it grows in clayey soils. Sotirio is the flagship Sangiovese, named after Giovanni's great-great-grandfather who founded the Bulgari brand. It's aged in large botti to preserve the grape's elegance. G33 is the top cuvée, a blend of Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Merlot aged in French oak for two years. There's also NicoLeo, a white wine named after Giovanni's two sons, blending Chardonnay and Grechetto from vineyards in nearby Umbria. The estate also makes Aliki, a rosé named after Giovanni's mother Alice. These are polished, modern Tuscan wines that balance ripeness with freshness.