Villa Montecastello

About the Winery

Between the towns of Siena and San Gimiginano lies an ancient fortress, perched on a hilltop amongst olive groves and Tuscan herbs. Painstakingly restored by Jens Schmidt, this fortress has been transformed into an agriturismo, a culinary destination for top chefs and travelers from around the world. After having opened the on-site restaurant, Jens, no stranger to the wine industry, desired to produce his own house wine. Tapping into his contacts in the wine world, he was able to source top-quality Pinot Grigio grapes from the gravel vineyards of northern Fruili and Sangiovese from high-altitude, galestro soils at Rocca di Castagnoli in Gaiole in Chianti.

Winemaker Paolo Caciorgna got his start at the young age of 21 with an enologist position at Teruzzi and Puthod, the Tuscan estate known for relaunching Vernaccia di San Gimignano. He later joined with Attilio Pagli and Alberto Antonini and consulted with a variety of estates, making red and white wines. Since 2004, he has been on his own, continuing to create terroir-driven wines indicative of the people and places from which they come.

“Planting a vineyard means putting down roots: where you plant, you live,” Paolo asserts. “Italy’s patrimony is its vineyards, vines and soils. By saving them we also save the wisdom of the people who have always worked them.” – Decanter Magazine