Storia
The Masi–Serego Alighieri partnership
Masi began its collaboration with the Conti Serego Alighieri in 1973. The family descends from Dante Alighieri and had spent more than 650 years cultivating vines and making wine in Valpolicella. This partnership later provided the framework for a return to Tuscany, the Alighieri family’s region of origin.
Establishment in Tuscany — 2002
In 2002, Masi and the Conti Serego Alighieri launched a winegrowing project in Val d’Orcia. Masi acquired the Poderi BellOvile vineyards at Cinigiano, close to the Montalcino area, and established an organic viticulture project centred on environmental care and the estate’s local grape varieties.
Approximately 70 ha were initially described as planted on predominantly level, sand- and pebble-rich ground. The vines were trained to spalliera, with plantings of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo and white Vermentino. In the same year, the former Masi Agricola approved the incorporation of Poderi del Bello Ovile S.r.l. into the company.
The acquisition represented the return of Dante’s descendants to Tuscany after more than six and a half centuries of winegrowing in Valpolicella. The estate name refers to a passage in the Divine Comedy in which the exiled Dante dreams of returning to his distant homeland, described as the “bello ovile.”
Organic production and later development
By 2017, the Tuscan red Poderi BellOvile was already marketed as an organic wine. Subsequent certification documentation identifies the estate’s farming as organic under code IT-BIO-009.
The estate’s vineyard base was later recorded as more than 80 ha in certified-organic production. Its principal production comprises BellOvile Rosso di Toscana and BellOvile Vermentino.
Recent growing seasons
In 2022, the estate’s grapes were healthy and showed good analytical values. Sauvignon Blanc harvesting began in late August, followed in September by red varieties, beginning with Ancellotta.
The 2023 season was much more difficult. Heavy rainfall and the difficulty of intervening promptly in organically cultivated vineyards encouraged widespread downy-mildew attacks. Production was severely reduced, and careful grape selection was required for vinification.
Drought affected the estate in 2024. Vermentino harvesting was already under way by late August, while Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo were scheduled for early September.
Conditions improved in 2025. Vermentino was described as having an excellent season and was being harvested in early September; prospects were also highly promising for Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo, whose harvest was scheduled for the same period.
Terroir
Poderi del Bello Ovile lies at Cinigiano in Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia, close to the boundary of the Montalcino area. The wider valley is crossed by the Orcia River, lies north of Monte Amiata and extends toward the Umbrian border.
The regional climate is Mediterranean and relatively warm, with rainfall concentrated mainly in spring and autumn. Val d’Orcia soils are generally dominated by clay or clay-rich schist mixed with limestone. The estate’s own planted ground is described more specifically as predominantly level and rich in sand and pebbles.
Vinificazione
The estate was conceived from 2002 as an organic viticulture project respectful of the environment and local grape varieties. Its vineyards are certified organic, and the BellOvile technical material carries the certification code IT-BIO-009 for Italian agriculture.
The principal vines—Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo and Vermentino—are trained to spalliera. Harvest timing is managed by variety: white grapes are picked first, followed by the reds. Recent harvest records place Vermentino picking in late August or early September, with Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo following in early September.
The limitations of organic disease control became particularly evident in 2023, when persistent rain and difficulty entering the vineyards promptly led to widespread downy mildew. The resulting crop was severely reduced and required careful selection before vinification.
Filosofia
The estate’s guiding project joins organic cultivation with respect for the environment and the grapes associated with its Tuscan setting. Its creation was also cultural and historical: it restored a tangible connection between the Serego Alighieri family and Tuscany after more than 650 years of viticulture and winemaking in Valpolicella.