“With humble and by considering their characters diversity, I wanted to produce some elegant wines: their common denominator lies precisely in their elegance, harmony and respect for the environment. Grapes and land always have some specific needs which, in order to obtain the best wines possible, you have to be able to understand and respect”
Those are the first words of the Podernuovo a Palazzone wines presentation. For years now, the winemaking company of Giovanni Bulgari is producing, with passion and professionalism, wines in which it is possible to find all their bond with the land where they come from.
“Podernuovo a Palazzone” is located among the Tuscan hills near San Casciano Dei Bagni. Nine years ago, Great Estate cooperated for its purchasing. In 2013, Massimo Alvisi and Junko Kirimoto created the wine cellar for Paolo and Giovanni Bulgari. In 2017, thanks to the tact and respect with which it inserts itself into the landscape and environment of the area, it received the famous Premio Architettura Toscana.
Some time ago, we met Giovanni Bulgari to address him a few questions about the history of “Podernuovo a Palazzone”. We want to propose you that interview again.
Hi Giovanni, thank you for your time. How did this project become and why did you decide to enter into this field?
Since childhood, I have always had a great connection with the land and a huge passion for the countryside and farming. We own a plot of land in Umbria, near Corbara, where, with my family, I used to spend every moment of our free time. When I was a kid, I started to work in the precious stones and raw materials sector in the Bulgari firm. Even if it was a beautiful job, I have always suffered a little to be living distant from the countryside. Then, some years ago, my father purchased a property in this area, so I discovered this vineyards which, at that time, were abandoned. This is how this amazing project had started.
Which wines do you produce?
We have three different labels, three reds: Sotirio, Argirio and Therra. Choosing the name of a wine is not so easy: it has to be something meaningful but, in the meantime, evocative. This is why we decided to call them “Sotirio”, as my great-great-grandfather, the family’s forefather; “Argirio”, because of the particular blue and silver clay characterizing our vineyards; and “Therra”, in honour of the passion for the land which brought to the creation on this project.
Which kind of wines are them?
Sotirio is the top one: a Sangiovese in purity. An important wine produced with the Sangiovese grapes, a traditional vineyard of this areas. Argirio, instead, is made with the Cabernet Franc ones, while Therra comes from the Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. With particular regards to their price/quality ratio, those wines received all a good national and international response. Obviously, by using some spontaneous fermentation processes which help us to understand and follow the natural time of the different grapes maturation, we are always trying to improve them.
Why have you chose Tuscany and, in particular, this area?
Surely, it started casually. As I said before, my dad purchased here a farmhouse, so I was able to discover the beauty of this area which I deeply love. Here, many “real” – that is managed with passion and love for the land – farm businesses still exist. We shaped “Podernuovo a Palazzone” with this model: a family business. Betting on the teamwork, we are a great company producing high quality wines, where all the workers are important and everyone has his/her fundamental role.
A special world of thanks to Giovanni Bulgari.
Discover “Podernuovo a Palazzone” by visiting podernuovopalazzone.com.
