Tenuta Lunelli Pietragrande

The Lunelli family, third generation of winemakers at Ferrari Trento DOC, has pursued a passion for wine with the creation of Tenute Lunelli, comprised of three wine estates located in three different regions of Italy, Umbria, Tuscany and Trentino. In 2001, fascinated by the ancient and mystical land of Umbria and by the powerful Sagrantino wines, the Lunelli family acquired Tenuta Castelbuono. The property encompasses 30 hectares of vineyards in the areas of Bevagna and Montefalco. The Lunellis have focused on converting the vineyards to organic agriculture and replanting based on extensive research of specific Sagrantino clones. At Castelbuono, old vines are preserved and new vines are added through a structured cloning selection project called the Patriarchs Project. The amazing winery, Il Carapace, is the realization of a collaboration between the Lunelli family, the imaginative sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro, and the technical architectural expert Giorgio Pedrotti. The huge dome covered with copper, marked with a pattern of grooves and cracks, is inspired by a carapace, a tortoise shell. An accompanying sculptural element in the shape of a red arrow (called the Lampante) piercing the earth highlights the structure in the surrounding landscape. A typical expression of a grape variety that is absolutely unique in terms of power and longevity, the Sagrantino from Tenuta Castelbuono amazes one with its mellowness, the result of skillful vineyard management and long ageing in large oak casks.