Around 20 kilometres north-east of Siena is a small settlement with pre-Roman roots. The Etruscans had already settled here. Today's castle was built in the early 1770s. But when we talk about history, we should focus on the past and present of Chianti Classico.
In the 1970s, four friends bought the estate in the centre of Chianti and began planting vines and building a fermentation cellar. in 1982, they were joined by Marco Pallanti - an oenologist from Florence with winemaking experience from Italy and Bordeaux. Lorenza Sebasti took over the management of the estate in 1993. Since then, the two have developed Castello di Ama into a beacon of Italian red wine culture, making Chianti Classico one of the best red wines in the country and creating an internationally successful brand.
Around the village of Ama, at an altitude of between 420 and 527 metres, around 75 hectares are planted with vines. Limestone and loamy slate as well as clay and chalk characterise the soil structure of the five vineyards. The main grape variety is of course Sangiovese.
"Wine has to spring from the rock of the vineyards and reflect its characteristics. Soil, climate and variety form a particular functional reality in which the technique of control of man is inserted, to bring out all the originality of the situation," is how the highly decorated Marco Pallanti describes his philosophy. And indeed, it was above all the idea of terroir with which Marco, as a pioneer in the region, set himself apart early on and very consciously achieved an outstanding boost in quality. Other factors include old vines adapted to the climate and reduced yields. However, the top wines of today were preceded by 20 years of research in order to really get the best out of nature.
photos: Castello di Ama
