First produced in 1989, this incredible wine is the symbol of the winery, and it truly epitomizes Bolgheri. At first, the wine was a classic Bordeaux blend but became a Cabernet Franc monovarietal in 2001; since then, it has been a huge success. The name “paleo” refers to a wild herb found on the Tuscan coast, and it symbolizes a strong local identity and the will to reach all goals.
The winter of 2023 saw slightly above average temperatures and little rain. Early spring temperatures were lower and led to delayed budbreak, which started the first week of April. Rain continued to be scarce until the end of May. Summer began with a rapid rise in temperatures, which, coupled with the rainfall in late May, brought about rapid vegetation development, resulting in an abundance of leaf growth. The rains at the beginning of the summer also contributed to a prolonged flowering phase, delaying fruit set by 10-15 days. The summer continued with frequent precipitation between the second week of June and the second week of July, but the situation quickly changed as the weather became increasingly hot and dry, which led to an acceleration in ripening in August. Unlike the prior year, the start of harvest was more or less in line with the average timing in the region, around the third week of August. The Chardonnay grapes were harvested first, followed five days later by Sauvignon Blanc. Harvest of the red varieties began immediately thereafter and ended at the beginning of October. The harvest of the Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes was harder than the others as a result of the irregular summer weather, which led to a slight imbalance in the development of the plants. This made it difficult to establish the right time to begin harvest, and we had to combine technological parameters with the taste and health of the grapes. It is also important to note the many significant downy mildew infections in 2023 that were seen between mid-June and late July and led to a decrease in production of Chardonnay and Merlot and to a lesser degree Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon at our winery.
Denomination: Toscana IGT
First Vintage: 1989
Grape varieties: 100% Cabernet Franc
Vineyards: Casa Nuova 1998-2013, Vignone 1999, Ulivino 2016
Training System: guyot and head-trained
Yield: 800 gr per plant
Harvest period: third and last week of September
Winemaking: fermentation and maceration for 40 days in concrete tanks
Aging: 16 months in new oak barrel, conical trunk cask and stoneware amphora
Bottling: August 07, 2025
