Wines from Le Pupille

History

Fattoria Le Pupille is a family estate in the Tuscan Maremma. Elisabetta Geppetti took over the family property in 1985. Her grandfather and then her father in law Alfredo, known as Fredi, passed on to her a love for the vineyard, and she added her own ambition: to make wines of excellence from a Maremma that was still little known.

Known as the Lady of Morellino, she was the first president of the Morellino di Scansano Consortium and played a large part in bringing the Maremma to international attention. Today she leads the estate with her children Clara and Ettore.

The land and the vineyards

The estate farms 85 hectares of vines, spread like a mosaic over the best areas of the Maremma between 150 and 350 meters above sea level. The plots lie around Pereta, Magliano in Toscana and Istia d'Ombrone, where the winery has stood since about 2000.

The soils vary from sandstone to veins of iron rich clay. The climate is Mediterranean, with sea breezes and big differences between day and night.

The wines

Le Pupille makes the local Sangiovese in the Morellino di Scansano style and also wines from Bordeaux grapes. Its best known bottle is Saffredi, a Toscana Rosso of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot from Pereta, first made in 1987. It matures for 18 months in French oak barriques and rests up to 6 months in bottle. Poggio Valente is the Morellino made from a vineyard bought in 1996.

Production of Saffredi has been around 45,000 bottles in recent vintages.

Today

The family continues to renew the estate while keeping its identity. The wines have earned top ratings from Italian guides, and the estate also grows olives and hazelnuts.

Founded

1985 (Elisabetta Geppetti takes over)

Vineyards

85 hectares

Owners

Geppetti family

Main grapes

Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot