History
The family project begins
Armilla’s family project dates from 1980. In the early 1980s, the family settled at Tavernelle on the south-western side of Montalcino. The property comprised a country house requiring restoration and hillside land waiting to be planted. The family’s plan was to build its life around Sangiovese and produce wines closely tied to this particular hillside.
The first Sangiovese parcels were planted and trained season by season. A 2.5 ha vineyard destined for Brunello di Montalcino was planted in 1982.
Establishing the wines
The first Armilla Brunello di Montalcino vintage was produced in 1997. A separate 1 ha vineyard associated with Rosso di Montalcino was established in two stages: one part was planted in 1998 and the remainder in 2001. The first Rosso di Montalcino vintage followed in 2004.
Armilla today
Armilla remains deliberately small, cultivating a limited number of hectares and concentrating on a few Sangiovese-based labels. Vineyard work is predominantly manual, with measured pruning and restrained yields. The cellar follows an intentionally essential approach built around steel fermentation, gentle extraction and patient maturation in large oak casks.
The name
“Armilla” evokes a circle or recurring sign. Within the family’s narrative, it represents a promise completed and renewed at every harvest: to care for the land and give expression to it through wine.
Terroir
Armilla is situated at Tavernelle on the south-western slope of Montalcino. Its vineyards lie between 320 and 350 metres above sea level, with exposure to the afternoon sun and steady winds. These conditions support slow, complete ripening.
Galestro is a defining component of the hillside soils. The 1982 Brunello vineyard has predominantly clay-limestone soils containing galestro and tuff. The vineyard associated with Rosso di Montalcino has predominantly limestone soil with tuff; its comparatively looser structure is associated with softer, silkier tannins.
Armilla connects the combination of light, wind, elevation and soil with depth, savoury character and clarity of Sangiovese expression.
Winemaking
Work in Armilla’s vineyards is almost entirely manual. The approach centres on measured pruning, low yields and the avoidance of superfluous interventions. The estate presents restraint as the guiding principle of its viticulture, with the objective of retaining the identity of the Tavernelle hillside and the clarity of Sangiovese.
Armilla follows an intentionally restrained cellar approach. Fermentations take place in steel tanks, extraction is gentle, and maturation proceeds patiently in large oak casks.
Both documented Sangiovese bottlings undergo approximately three weeks of fermentation and maceration in steel. Brunello production includes parcel selection and long maceration, followed by 24–30 months in 25 hl oak casks and further maturation in bottle. Rosso di Montalcino matures for 18 months in 25 hl oak casks after its steel fermentation and maceration.
The overall objective is to preserve the character of Montalcino and maintain a clear expression of Sangiovese rather than obscure it through unnecessary cellar intervention.
Philosophy
Armilla frames its work as a long-term family promise to care for the Tavernelle hillside and translate its character into wine. The estate deliberately remains small and focused, limiting itself to a few labels connected to Sangiovese.
Restraint guides decisions in both vineyard and cellar: manual work, measured pruning, low yields, no superfluous interventions, gentle extraction and patient maturation in large oak casks. The declared goal is to allow Montalcino to speak through the wine while preserving the clarity of Sangiovese.
The name “Armilla,” with its image of a returning circle, expresses continuity. Each harvest renews the family’s commitment to the land rather than marking a break with the preceding season.