The “Terre De La Custodia” winery is located in the hills of Gualdo Cattaneo, in Palombara at an elevation of 300m and only 5km from the old town of Montefalco in Umbria. Built recently, the winery covers 3,800sqm including a sheltered area of 2,800sqm on two levels. One level is underground where the barrel store and fruit-drying areas are located. Fifty-two stainless steel vats, designed down to the very last detail by the winery’s technical staff and produced by a local specialized company are located in the inside area reserved for the various production phases. Each one has a temperature control system for both heating and cooling and the fermentation vats for the red wine allow pumping over and pushing down to be carried out. The total storage capacity of the stainless steel vats is 1,250,000 litres. The management and control of the production steps are controlled electronically. The soft presses are closed tank pneumatic presses so that grapes can undergo criomaceration. Underground we find a room used as a 350sqm barrel store currently housing 450 barriques and 32 tonneaux, a 1000sqm storage area for the aging of wine in bottle and a fruit drying room which was designed and created by the technical staff in order to maintain the health of the grapes even up to 90 or120 days after the harvest. In front of the cellar is a large farmstead with two floors housing the exhibition and tasting rooms, offices, retail outlet, large living room with chimney and panoramic terrace and other rooms that are used for hosting clients and friends. All of the windows look on to the vineyards of Sagrantino with the Sibillini and Martani mountains in the background. The winery and farmstead are next to each other and are linked on one side by a porch that opens onto a large central square like a large farmyard looking onto the fields, making them feel even closer and evoking thoughts of harvest, threshing, open-air parties, warm bread, good olive oil and the local wine. Currently, the estate includes 122 hectares of vineyards producing 1,150,000 bottles. The vineyards are located in the area of Gualdo Cattaneo where grapes for Sagrantino and Rosso di Montefalco are cultivated, as well as the area of Todi where Grechetto, Merlot, Sangiovese and Trebbiano are grown.

“When our wine-maker Riccardo Cotarella proposed that we make a wine without added sulphates, we accepted with enthusiasm, convinced that the project was in line with the values of our family: producing quality, good and tasty wines that respect the health of consumers and the environment.”
Pompeo Farchioni