Casale del Giglio

1967 — Foundation

Dino Santarelli, captivated by the Agro Pontino valley, founded Casale del Giglio in the small village of Le Ferriere, near the ancient city of Satricum in the province of Latina, around 50 km south of Rome. In the mid-twentieth century this land was untouched and unlike any other part of Lazio or any other Italian region, its potential for growing grapes still unexplored.

Early 1990s — New generation and research

Dino's son Antonio Santarelli followed his father's intuition and partnered with Paolo Tiefenthaler, a young winemaker from Trentino in northern Italy. Together they launched an intensive program of vineyard research and trials, which produced remarkable results. As a result of this work, varieties including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon were officially approved for cultivation in the province of Latina, with other varieties added later.

Today

Almost thirty years after the research program began, Casale del Giglio is a highly regarded estate with 180 ha of vineyards and olive groves. It produces wine, grappa and olive oil, which regularly win awards at various competitions and are exported to 34 countries around the world.

The estate lies in the Agro Pontino valley, in the small village of Le Ferriere, near the ancient city of Satricum, in the province of Latina, around 50 km south of Rome. In the mid-twentieth century this was untouched land, described as unlike any other part of Lazio or any other Italian region, with grape-growing potential that had not yet been explored.

In the early 1990s, Antonio Santarelli and winemaker Paolo Tiefenthaler carried out an intensive program of vineyard research and trials. This work led to the official approval of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon for cultivation in the province of Latina, with other varieties approved later.

Casale del Giglio produces wine, grappa and olive oil, which regularly win awards at various competitions.

The estate's history reflects a belief, held by both Dino and later Antonio Santarelli, in the potential of the Agro Pontino valley for grape growing, even though this potential was untested when the estate was founded and had to be proven through research and trials in the early 1990s.