Castelprile

History

The ancient landscape of Prelius

Castelprile’s identity is rooted in the former coastal lake known as Prelius. The lake extended from the Argentario promontory to Castiglione della Pescaia and was separated from the sea by a narrow strip of sand, now occupied by the Grosseto pinewood. During the Etruscan period, settlements around the saline lake prospered through fishing, trade and agriculture. Under the Romans, the lake continued to support salt production and fish farming.

Flooding from the Ombrone gradually deposited alluvial material in the lake basin, contributing to the formation of the fertile Maremma landscape. Benedictine monks later established an abbey in the area and cultivated vines in the district called Prile—the modern form of the name Prelius and the locality occupied by Castelprile’s vineyards.

Reclamation and the modern estate

The former lake disappeared gradually through natural silting and land reclamation, including drainage undertaken during the 1930s. Castelprile’s visual identity recalls this history: the fluid motif used for the Prelius range represents the lost alluvial lake and connects the wines with the landscape that replaced it.

The principal red-wine plantings in Prile were established between 2001 and 2004. Vermentino material is documented both among plantings dating from 2001–2004 and in a separate block planted in 2005.

Recognition of the Prelius identity

In 2009, the Prelius label received a Gold Label and the Special Jury Prize for Coordinated Image at an international packaging competition. It also received a Red Dot communication award.

Etruscan eraThe saline coastal lake Prelius supported a prosperous settlement based on fishing, commerce and agriculture.

Roman eraThe Romans used Lake Prelius for salt production and fish farming.

Benedictine periodBenedictine monks established an abbey in the area and began cultivating vines in the district of Prile.

1930sLand-reclamation works contributed to the final disappearance of the former Lake Prelius.

2001The earliest documented plantings within the principal modern Prile vineyard blocks date from this year.

2002Planting of the principal modern vineyard blocks continued in Prile.

2003Planting of the principal modern vineyard blocks continued in Prile.

2004The documented 2001–2004 phase of vineyard establishment was completed.

2005A separately documented 2 ha Vermentino block was planted.

2009The Prelius label received a Gold Label and Special Jury Prize for Coordinated Image at an international packaging competition; it also earned a Red Dot communication award.

Terroir

Castelprile lies in the locality of Prile, approximately 3 km from Castiglione della Pescaia and 7 km from the sea. Its vineyards occupy a promontory on the slopes of the hilly amphitheatre that once bordered Lake Prelius, facing the Tuscan Archipelago.

The vineyard elevation is approximately 40–60 m above sea level. Exposures vary from south to south-southeast. The former lake basin and the floods of the Ombrone created an alluvial landscape dominated by sand and clay. The technical soil profile is 80% sand, 15% clay and 5% silt, with gravel also present.

Proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea is an important influence, especially for Vermentino. Alternating sea and land breezes ventilate the vineyards, while the alluvial soils and maritime setting support gradual ripening.

Winemaking

Separate red vinificationSangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are vinified separately for Castelprile’s red blend.

French-oak maturationRed wines mature in French oak, using barriques or 30 hl casks according to the range.

Stainless-steel VermentinoPrelius Vermentino is vinified in stainless steel and kept on its lees for six months.

Full-lees barrel élevageVermentino Superiore is vinified in used French-oak barriques and tonneaux and retained with its full lees before racking.

Bottle maturationPrelius Vermentino receives three months in bottle, while the Castelprile red receives an additional 12 months.

Castelprile cultivates organically grown grapes. Guyot is used across the documented Prile vineyard blocks, whose planting density is approximately 9,600–9,615 vines/ha.

The Vermentino vineyards benefit from alternating land and sea breezes and a modern drip-irrigation system. Together, ventilation and controlled water delivery support organic cultivation and slow ripening. Conditions differ between blocks and seasons: the 2019 account for the red varieties records that irrigation water was unavailable, making rainfall during the second half of July particularly important.

Seasonal records illustrate the principal vineyard pressures. The 2021 growing season brought a damaging frost on 8 April, followed by a hot, dry summer. In 2022, prolonged heat and very limited rainfall caused moderate water stress until rain on 18–19 August enabled ripening to continue. Heavy and repeated rain in May and June 2023 created substantial downy-mildew pressure; a hot, dry summer followed, with late-August rain helping the fruit complete ripening.

The estate uses distinct production paths for its four documented ranges.

For the Castelprile red, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are vinified separately. The wine is selected from the family’s preferred barriques, matures in new barrels on its lees for more than 12 months and receives a further 12 months in bottle. A 2019 technical record specifies 18 months in French-oak barriques.

Prelius Cabernet Sauvignon matures for six months in 30 hl French-oak casks.

Prelius Vermentino is vinified in stainless steel and remains on its lees for six months, followed by three months of bottle maturation.

Castelprile Vermentino Superiore is vinified in used French-oak barriques and tonneaux. It remains with its full lees until May following the 2023 harvest, after which it is racked and bottled.