The Rocca di Frassinello project was born from a very simple idea, or rather from a need: that of replicating the model of excellence of Castellare di Castellina in a new territory. It was decided to aim for the center of the Maremma, between Bolgheri and Scansano, where a sort of geological foot reaches which has the same characteristics as the lands of Chianti and Montalcino, of which it is in effect a sort of extension towards the sea. So soils like those of the two most famous wine-growing areas of Tuscany, but with a substantial difference: 4-5 and even 6 °C higher average temperature and therefore with the ability to ripen the grapes even three-four weeks earlier .

This area, so incredibly suited to the cultivation of vines, is included in the municipalities of Gavorrano and Roccastrada. It is precisely there that the first, and to date only, Italian-French joint venture project for the production of wine took shape. The agreement (in the photo on the right Baron Eric de Rothschild with Paolo Panerai) between Castellare and Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite, i.e. the most famous signature of wines in France and in the world, envisaged from the beginning to put together the Castellare’s experience in the cultivation and winemaking of the main Tuscan grape variety, Sangioveto, and that of Lafite on the classic French vines, Cabernet, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Shiraz. It took two years to unite the five farms that make up the 500 hectares of Rocca di Frassinello, the hectares of vineyards planted today are around 90. The project, already extremely ambitious, was further embellished by a choice made to crown the birth of the cellar of Rocca di Frassinello with the most prestigious of possible signatures: that of Renzo Piano