Poggio al Tufo

The first Tuscan project — 1997

Poggio al Tufo began in 1997, when the Tommasi family acquired its first estate beyond Veneto and the Valpolicella Classica area. The investment in Pitigliano initiated the family’s expansion into other Italian wine regions at the same time that its fourth generation formally assumed key positions in the business.

The original project was centred on Tenuta Rompicollo in Pitigliano. The eponymous Rompicollo vineyard covers 66 hectares, while an account published in 2015 described the broader Pitigliano investment as an 80-hectare estate. Rompicollo became the first wine made by the family in the Tuscan Maremma and the emblem of the new project.

Alicante Bouschet has been planted at Poggio al Tufo since the 1997 acquisition. Its cultivation connected the new estate with a variety whose presence around Scansano has been associated through studies and research with the period of Spanish rule.

Development across the Maremma

The project subsequently expanded beyond its original Pitigliano base. Poggio al Tufo now encompasses 200 hectares divided among three vineyard areas between Pitigliano and Scansano. Tenuta Rompicollo remains its heart, while Tenuta Albore in Scansano supplies several varieties and accommodates the estate’s operational winery facilities. Within Rompicollo, the named Bottinello and Montebuono vineyards contribute fruit alongside the Scansano property.

The estate’s range developed around a Maremma blend and varietal wines from both native and international grapes. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alicante Bouschet and Vermentino are represented, with part of the vineyards under organic management.

Hospitality — 2014

In 2014, the family opened an agriturismo among the vineyards at Tenuta Rompicollo. The accommodation was created through a careful, conservation-minded restoration of the existing historic farmhouse buildings. Its opening completed a hospitality project envisaged alongside the estate’s wine development from 1997 onward.

Consolidation and later vintages

In 2014, Rompicollo entered Wine Spectator’s Top 100 in 31st place, following a 92-point assessment and a “Smart Buy” designation. By 2015, it was distributed across markets on five continents.

The 2020 season brought a regular spring and well-distributed rainfall, enabling balanced vegetative growth without notable disease pressure. Production was expected to be 5–10% below 2019; Vermentino harvesting started in the first week of September, followed by red grapes around mid-September.

In 2021, below-average temperatures through June supported successful flowering and fruit set. A very hot summer required emergency irrigation in younger vineyards, while late-August rain was decisive for final ripening. The harvest was very good in quality but relatively small.

The 2025 season was marked by stable weather, regular ripening, healthy bunches, balanced temperature variations and no extreme events. White grapes were scheduled for an early harvest, with red grapes following their customary timing; both quality and quantity were considered promising.

Poggio al Tufo employs an integrated production system intended to make agricultural operations environmentally sustainable. Part, but not all, of its vineyards is managed organically.

The Rompicollo vineyard is Guyot-trained at an average density of 6,500 vines per hectare. Night harvesting is identified among the sustainable vineyard practices associated with Rompicollo. Cabernet Sauvignon at Albore may be picked at slight overripeness, while maturity is monitored closely before harvest across the family estates.

The agronomic approach emphasizes fruit quality through bud selection and restrained yields. Vineyard work is adapted to the soil, exposure, climate and vegetative cycle of each territory rather than applying a single Valpolicella model across every estate.

Water intervention responds to vintage conditions. Younger Poggio al Tufo vineyards received emergency irrigation during the very hot summer of 2021. In 2020, regular spring weather and well-distributed rainfall produced good vegetative balance without significant disease pressure.

Poggio al Tufo’s operational winery facilities are located at the Scansano estate, where fruit from Tenuta Albore is also vinified.

Environmental procedures focus on optimizing resource use and cellar management, avoiding waste and recycling whenever possible. Products of animal origin and materials containing allergens are excluded from the wine-production process.

The cellar combines controlled technology with traditional vessels and site-specific decisions. Across the range, documented techniques include temperature-controlled or spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, skin maceration, low-temperature fermentation for white grapes, stainless-steel maturation and ageing in large Slavonian oak casks. These techniques are applied according to the variety and intended expression rather than as one uniform protocol for every wine.