Stelo Italian Wine

Wines of this winery are for sale on Stelo italian wine

The name says it all: we are a family business. Complete and independent responsibility for the business is now in the hands of the fourth generation of the Triacca family. Both our family home and the business are situated in Campascio, in the Swiss valley of Poschiavo. The vineyards and the winery are just across the border in Italy, in the nearby Valtellina and in Tuscany. We have a track record of almost 100 years as Swiss vine-growers and wine-makers, commercialising our Italian wines for the most part in our own domestic market of Switzerland – much to the dismay of Italian wine connoisseurs. Our wines are consistently awarded top scores in the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso. Nevertheless, our wines are increasingly prized in Italy, the United States, Germany, Benelux, Austria and England. La Gatta winery. La Gatta was built 500 years ago. The impressive building was not always a winery, but formerly served as a Dominican convent and was for many years a pilgrimage site. Later the De Gatti family from the Comasco made it their summer residence, and gave it their name. It was the Mascioni family from Poschiavo who first started making wine there. La Gatta is situated in Bianzone, close to the vineyard where the history of our family business began in 1897. And so it made perfect sense for us to buy this venerable old building when it came up for sale in 1969. The production facilities are situated 5 kilometres away in the valley, at Villa di Tirano. Here the grapes from 45 hectares (112.5 acres) of vines are vinified, of which La Gatta has the lion‚is share with 13 hectares (32.5 acres). We also own 10 hectares (25 acres) in Sassella, 9 hectares (22.5 acres) in Valgella and Tirano and 4 hectares (10 acres) in Villa di Tirano. Total annual production is 350,000 bottles. La Madonnina winery. Back in the 18th century, Radda, Gaiole and Castellina, as well as Greve and Panzano were already recognised as the centre of the Chianti Classico, an area of gently rolling hills situated at between 250 and 550 metres (750-1650 feet) above sea level. The La Madonnina winery belongs to Strada, a small part of the sprawling Greve vineyard. We acquired the property in 1969. For the first harvest we had to wait till 1975. Rebuilding was finished only in 1979. The long-abandoned land had been used for hunting, and needed clearing and re-planting. The former Villa Franchi required a complete facelift, new cellars, water tanks and access roads. After acquisition of neighbouring land in 1987 and 1990, the whole estate now comprises 400 hectares (1000 acres) of olive groves, woodland, fields and meadows. One hundred hectares (250 acres) are planted with vines: 90% Sangiovese, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. La Madonnina is the biggest winery in Greve. The cellar houses 19,000 hectolitres (494,000 gallons), of which 700 (18,000 gallons) are in new oak barrels. Annual production is about 650,000 bottles. To this we are adding a steadily increasing production of top-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Santavenere winery. The Montepulciano region extends across the upper Chiana valley eastwards towards the lake of Trasimeno and opening into Umbria. The vineyards are situated in gently hilly countryside, at between 250 and 600 metres (750 and 1800 feet) above sea level. The beautifully preserved medieval town of Montepulciano is well known for its Vino Nobile. The Santavenere winery was taken over by us in 1990. The original 6 hectares (15 acres) of vines have now grown to 33 (82.5 acres): 28 hectares of Sangiovese, known in Montepulciano as Prugnolo Gentile, with the remaining plots planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlos, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The estate comprises in total 80 hectares (200 acres) of olive groves, woodland and fields. The newly refurbished cellar holds 4,000 hectolitres (104,000 gallons). In addition there is capacity in small oak barrels for up to 200 hectolitres (5,200 gallons). Annual production is 150,000 bottles.