The Castagneto Carducci company celebrates its history by projecting itself into the future, with new winemaking projects, an international outlook and high-level hospitality.

Argentiera celebrates 25 years, confirming its commitment to giving new life and prestige to the DOC Bolgheri, which turns thirty in 2024.

A strategy that is expressed in a winemaking research and innovation program – which includes the newly created Scenario Bolgheri Bianco DOC – with the aim of increasingly raising the bar of production quality , strengthening international markets and investing in an excellent wine tourism proposal .

Founded in 1999 within the historic Tenuta Donoratico, since 2016 Argentiera has been owned by Stanislaus Turnauer , an Austrian entrepreneur driven by a genuine passion for Tuscany and a far-sighted strategic vision. He is joined by CEO Federico Zileri Dal Verme, one of the initiators of the winemaking project, and a team of professionals with profound knowledge of the Bolgheri area.

Growth numbers

Over the past ten years, Argentiera has achieved an increase in economic performance as a result of effective planning and a repositioning of the offer. “With the arrival of Stanislaus Turnauer, turnover has doubled and profitability has reached a level that places the estate among the companies producing high-end wines,” explains Leonardo Raspini , general manager of Argentiera. “In terms of markets, if until 2016 the company saw a significant imbalance in favor of the Italian context, we have subsequently reached a balance, with 50% of sales on the domestic market and 50% destined for export, in particular the United States, Switzerland and Central Europe.”

The primary asset for Argentiera’s strategy, at the center of important investments, is the wine tourism offer : since 2021 the company has increased its business value by 15% year on year , demonstrating the fact that the Tour & Tasting offer exerts a great attraction for the area and sees Argentiera among the protagonists. In 2023 alone, 3,400 visitors were recorded.

The evolution of the winemaking project

The company’s growth plan began in the vineyard, with geopedological studies to get the most out of the individual plots and a thoughtful expansion program: “To date, there are 84 hectares of vineyards on a total surface area of 169,” Raspini continues. “In the next six years, the goal is to reach 100 hectares of vineyards , through the enhancement of the precious land owned and the acquisition of some neighboring plots.” The new plants will confirm the Bolgheri vocation, with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon representing the production core and a greater presence of Cabernet Franc to strengthen the Ventaglio project. first single vineyard of the estate strongly desired by the current ownership. The white varieties will be at the center of continuous research relating to their ability to adapt to specific soils over the long term, also in response to climate change, in order to produce wines of great freshness, body and longevity.

Novelty and awards

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the company presents Scenario Bolgheri Bianco DOC , the fruit of a matured awareness and important corporate know-how which translates into research on the versatility and adaptability of Vermentino to the soils of Argentiera.

“The winemaking objective focuses on identifying a more evolved state of the vine and its aging capacity,” explains winemaker Nicolò Carrara . “We experimented with different combinations of vinification and maturation over three distinct vintages, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Specifically, a small portion of the debut vintage, 2022, spent about 9 months in 320-liter steam-bent, untoasted wooden barrels, while the remainder fermented and aged in 400-liter Clayver ceramic containers. For both containers, we ensured that the processes were carried out delicately to guarantee the fragrance, freshness and varietal recognizability, expressions of the identity of our territory.”

The desire to enclose the talent of the terroir in liquid form, operating with full respect for nature , is a fixed point for Argentiera: the estate is the closest to the Tyrrhenian coast and, at the same time, it is the one that reaches one of the highest altitudes in the whole of Bolgheri, up to 200 metres above sea level, a distinctive feature that forges the company’s most representative wines.

This production approach has led to several awards over the years, both nationally and internationally .

The 2020 vintage of Ventaglio has just won 99 points from James Suckling : according to the American critic, the Cabernet Franc – an expression of Argentiera’s production peak in terms of position, soil and climate characteristics and grape quality – has the ability to define a new standard for single-vineyard monovarietals.

Also particularly appreciated and awarded by critics is Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore DOC , the estate’s symbolic wine, crowned Runner-up Italian Wine of the Year by Suckling in 2018, and which became a point of reference for contemporary winemaking with the 2015 vintage.

CEO Mario Piccini and technicians from the Piccini 1882 Group companies talk about the characteristics of the vintage, from Tuscany to Etna.

In the vineyards of the Piccini 1882 Group, the 2024 harvest has just begun with the picking of Vermentino grapes, intended for sparkling wine. “ Finally, after seven years of alternating harvests in terms of quantity or quality not in line, we can this year return to a satisfactory harvest from both points of view. The spring rains have mitigated any water stress and the hot and dry summer has favored the production of healthy and ripe grapes. We expect good if not excellent quality in most of the denominations that belong to the brands of the Piccini 1882 group ,” says the CEO of the Piccini 1882 Group, Mario Piccini . In Maremma , the harvest looks rather promising both in terms of quality and quantity. This last figure, although still below average due to the hot and dry season in some areas, is far higher than that of 2023. Pasquale Presutto , agronomist at Tenuta Moraia in Maremma, states that ” the season started in spring with excellent prospects, the spring rains created sufficient reserves to face the summer without suffering from water stress. The flowering phase developed regularly and, thanks to the dry weather in June, we did not have major problems with fungal diseases. Some problems, especially in Maremma, arose due to the high temperatures that lasted in July and August: the veraison on the reds was rather uneven, especially for the Sangiovese, while the Vermentino, being earlier, did not suffer any problems in this sense. The international varieties are doing well, proceeding towards the end of ripening helped by the night-time temperature range, which has returned to being rather regular since mid-August. “ In the lands of Chianti Classico, where our Fattoria di Valiano is located – continues Pasquale Presutto – the harvest is expected between the last days of September and the first days of October, and is expected to be one of the best in recent decades. The Sangiovese has benefited from the dry and warm climate, with some light summer rain at the right time, the delayed defoliation phase has avoided burning the bunches which are healthy and in the right quantity. The night temperatures, which have dropped significantly since mid-August, will allow the grapes to ripen perfectly. If no adverse weather events occur, we could have a Chianti Classico vintage to remember for a long time ”. As for the Sicilian estate Torre Mora , the winemaker Alessandro Barabes states that: “ in this vintage characterised by very high temperatures and prolonged drought, Etna still stands out for its peculiarities which make it an island within an island, thanks to its unique soil and climate characteristics ”. The Etna denomination , which develops largely on the northern side of the volcano, has responded best to the difficulties thanks above all to the following characteristics: – altitude of the vineyards between 600 and 900 m above sea level, with consequent wide temperature range in summer; – water reserves in the deep layers of the soil, a consequence of the melting of the snow present at high altitude until late June. “ Both the white grapes ( Carricante ) and the red ones ( Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio ) are healthy and in good quantity. We will begin harvesting the grapes dedicated to the sparkling wine base at the beginning of September, then continue with the whites and grapes destined for the Etna rosé in the second week of the month and close with the reds between the end of September and the beginning of October .” “ At our Regio Cantina estate, in the Aglianico del Vulture denomination – adds Alessandro Barabesi – the drought has hit hard. In Basilicata, the last significant rainfall dates back to February. In this stressful situation, the vine naturally tends to favor its own survival at the expense of the fruit, producing smaller bunches and in smaller quantities. This will cause a more limited production, although we hope that the September rains will bring about a regular ripening. In fact, Aglianico is one of the last varieties to be harvested (between the end of October and the beginning of November), therefore, there could still be room to recover and have a quality year, albeit limited in quantity ”. Alessio Ciomei , oenologist at Piccini , instead outlines the picture for the imminent harvest in Chianti : “ we are now close to the harvest in the Chianti DOCG area, which with its over 15,000 hectares of surface area represents one of the largest denominations for reds. Our suppliers are largely concentrated in the provinces of Siena and Florence with some presence in the province of Arezzo. In the three areas, the seasonal trend was rather homogeneous, with a limited incidence of downy mildew between the end of June and the beginning of July, which however only affected the quantity produced. From a quantitative point of view, we have returned to the usual standards, with 30% compared to the very difficult 2023 vintage. Although the highest vineyards suffered from drought, the quality of the grapes is excellent ”. “ The vintage in Montalcino was characterized by a phase of humid pressure between the end of June and the beginning of July which fueled an outbreak of downy mildew. However, unlike what happened last year, when the disease manifested itself early in the flowering phase, the damage was limited to a loss of production, with no effects on the quality of the grapes. On the other hand, the season has always enjoyed a strong temperature range, during the hottest period, which allowed the vines to better manage the ripening. As often happens in Montalcino, the last 20-30 days that separate us from the harvest will be decisive for quality. Nonetheless, today we can associate the quality of the 2024 harvest with the 2019 one and limit ourselves to the more recent ones ,” says Santo Gozzo , winemaker at Villa al Cortile .

Vendemmia Reale is back, the biggest grape harvest festival in Turin in the setting of the Royal Museums Gardens.

After the success of the previous editions, Club Silencio and Torino Wine Week open the doors of the Royal Museums on Saturday 7 September on the occasion of Vendemmia Reale . The two entities together promote the value of sustainability with the involvement of over 40 wineries that are attentive to sustainability in the vineyard , which follow a traditional oenology aimed at enhancing the terroir .

A special evening where tastings of some of the best wines from Piedmont and all over Italy can be accompanied by the discovery of the places of the Royal Museums that are usually closed to the public.

At the center, the Piedmont of wine, with the participation of over 15 wineries, from the Pinerolo area and the province of Turin, to the crus of Barolo and Morra, and then again the Asti area, the Alessandria area, the lands of Roero and Alba.

Thanks to the extraordinary participation of the Consorzio Tutela Lugana, you will have the opportunity to learn about one of the first DOCs (1967) in Lombardy, and its commitment to accompanying wineries towards greater investment in sustainability, with over 50% of the hectares of vineyards having already achieved sustainability certifications.

Together with the Consorzio Tutela Valcalepio you can also discover the wine of Bergamo, through the Valcalepio DOC and the newly formed Terre del Colleoni DOC. The true protagonists of Valcalepio are the wineries that, united under the aegis of the leader Bartolomeo Colleoni (symbol of the Consortium), carry forward the name of viticulture and oenology of Bergamo, with attention to quality and the environment.

The journey, to celebrate the grape harvest, continues through Liguria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Umbria, Campania, Lazio, Puglia, until arriving in Sicily.

Thanks to the extraordinary opening of the apartments on the ground floor of the Royal Palace, it will be possible to visit the Apartment of King Vittorio Emanuele III , which houses a precious series of watercolour views by Giuseppe Pietro Bagetti, and the Apartment of Queen Elena , culminating in a refined bathroom with original furnishings, decorated with floral watercolours by the painter Emma Biscarra.

You can also take part in the exclusive guided tour of the CoopCulture Royal Kitchens to learn some curiosities related to the table ceremonies of the Royal Palace and participate in the multisensory tasting experience “Mindful Wine Tasting” by Marta Indro di Giulio.

The Lecce-born DJ and producer Populous , who made his debut for the Berlin label Morr Music and who has collaborated as a sound designer for the most famous fashion houses such as Gucci, Missoni and Vivienne Westwood, will take control of the console following the opening act by XNX Party .

Finally, there will be a cocktail bar, various food options, Play Corner activities and the Virtual Reality Experience .