Giacomo Mastretta
Giacomo, who has been La Porta di Vertine’s winemaker from its inception, originates from Piemonte. After a study of Natural Science he left for France, where he did an internship at Michel Chapoutier, where he encountered organic growing and winemaking techniques, sparking an ongoing interest in sustainable viticulture and vinification. After having completed a Master in Oenology at the Ecole Nationale Superieur Agronomique de Montpellier, he returned to Italy where he took up a position as a winemaker in a biodynamically managed estate in Pisa. Here he worked with the late Francois Bouchet, one of France’s most influential biodynamic consultants. This was followed by work experiences in Chile’s Casablanca, Australia’s Frankland, and in New Zealand’s Waipara, with Dannie Schuster.
Giacomo’s philosophy can be summarised as non interventionist. His central belief is that a great wine stems from a great vineyard, and therefore needs as little handling as possible.
Rugero Mazilli
After a study of viticulture and oenology as well as extensive research in biological vineyard management during the 1980s, Ruggero Mazzilli observed how small Piemontese vinegrowers still apply ancient sustainable practices in their vineyards. From this experience grew the belief that science can never explain the entire process in the vineyard, and it is therefore that he sees the vine as a medium, which, through its growing behaviour, communicates information on its environment and well being.
Ruggero’s viticultural philosophy centres literally around the concept of “less is more”: terroir driven wines are born on poor soils from high density vineyards, forcing the vines to develop a deep rootstock to reach water and nutrients, giving low yields of small, healthy and disease resistant bunches.
Giulio Gambelli
The modern history of Sangiovese is closely tied to the life of Giulio Gambelli. Born 1925 in the centre of Tuscany, Poggibonsi, Gambelli began working with the grape variety at the age of 14 as a cellar hand at what was then one of the largest wineries in the region, Enopolio. Never having received any official training as oenologist, his talent and his fabled capacity as a taster soon got the attention of the winery’s director, Tancredi Biondi Santi, who appointed him as his assistant in Enopolio’s laboratory. This phase proved seminal for Gambelli’s belief and love for Sangiovese, as Biondi Santi was also the custodian of a Sangiovese clone he had isolated in one of his vineyards, Il Greppo, and which would become world famous under the name Brunello di Montalcino.
Gambelli’s knowledge of the grape variety is second to none and he has consulted some of Tuscany’s most famous estates, which have all one thing in common: Sangiovese as the expression of the Tuscan terroir.