| Region of production: | Bolgheri |
| Winery Location: | Castagneto Carducci, Livorno |
| Year Established: | 1983 |
Vineyard Holdings
23 ha
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Piastraia Bolgheri Superiore DOC: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Aged 18 to 24 months in 20% new French barriques. Inaugural vintage 1991.
- I Castagni Bolgheri Superiore DOC: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Teroldego, and 10% Syrah. Aged two years in French barriques, one-third each new, second pass, and third pass. Aged 18 months in bottle.
- Cavaliere Toscana IGP: 100% Sangiovese, aged two years in used barriques.
- Costa di Giulia Bolgheri Bianco DOC: 70% Vermentino and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. This wine was originally 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged six months in stainless steel.
Average Total Production
- 150,000 bottles
Summary
Michele Satta’s story differs from that of many estates in Bolgheri. Satta did not inherit an ancient estate or purchase one with family riches. Rather, he began as an intern in 1974. After eight years working in wineries, he started making his own wine, renting vineyards and cellar space from an former employer and establishing his winery as one of the first in Bolgheri. In 1991, he planted his own vineyards and purchased land. A pioneer of the region, Satta brought Viognier, Syrah, and Teroldego to Bolgheri, and he was also the first to make single-variety wines from Sangiovese and Vermentino. Today, two of his six children, Giacomo and Benedetta, assist him at the estate.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Reds are fermented using ambient yeasts in 3,000-liter, cone-shaped, open-top oak vats. Manual punchdowns occur twice a day, and skin macerations last approximately 20 days with French varieties and two weeks longer for the Sangiovese. New oak is used in some proportion on all of the French varieties, but only used oak is used for the Sangiovese.
Producer Website: Michele Satta