Prospero

The Tuscan project begins — 2003

In 2003, Carla Prospero purchased a small property along Via Bolgherese, in the heart of Tuscany. The estate comprised olive groves and vineyards planted to Cabernet and Merlot. Her intention was to establish a project combining the identity of Bolgheri with her own sensibility and interpretation of the place.

Podere Prospero today

The property remains a small family estate within the Zenato world. The family’s work at Podere Prospero centres on a personal interpretation of Bolgheri DOC, alongside the cultivation of olive groves and the production of extra-virgin olive oil. Cabernet Franc is also represented in the estate’s Bolgheri blend.

Podere Prospero lies along Via Bolgherese in Castagneto Carducci, in the heart of Bolgheri and at an average elevation of approximately 50 metres above sea level. Its setting is defined by gently rolling, sunlit hills, old cypresses, olive groves and breezes carrying maritime and Mediterranean-scrub aromas.

The vineyard soils are sunny and well drained. They are described more specifically as medium-textured with a tendency toward sand. In the wider description of the family’s Bolgheri holdings, the soils are identified as marine in origin, sandy and rich in stones. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot are the principal varieties associated with this environment.

The vineyard approach is based on careful work among the vines and the use of traditional methods, with the aim of bringing healthy grapes into the cellar while respecting the fruit’s natural character. The vines are trained to spur-pruned cordon and average 25 years of age. Harvest is scheduled for the final ten days of September.

Production begins with cold pre-fermentation maceration. Alcoholic fermentation then proceeds under temperature-controlled conditions. Maturation lasts 16–18 months in 225-litre barriques, followed by approximately two months in steel tanks and an additional period of bottle ageing before release.

The underlying approach emphasises attentive vinification and respect for the grapes’ natural characteristics.

Podere Prospero was conceived as a personal interpretation of Tuscany and Bolgheri, combining the identity of the place with Carla Prospero’s own sensibility. Its approach gives priority to the natural environment, careful vineyard work and traditional methods. In the cellar, the objective is to preserve and respect the grapes’ inherent characteristics.

Within the broader family vision for Bolgheri, the estate is intended to express local character through Cabernet varieties and Merlot while retaining a recognisable personal identity. The olive-growing project extends the same focus on the property and its agricultural landscape beyond wine.