Cerro

Earlier ownership and mineral extraction

The hills of Monterufoli have long been associated with mineral extraction. Chalcedony, a semi-translucent form of quartz, was quarried here from at least the Renaissance to supply Florentine workshops producing mosaics and pietre dure inlays. The land belonged first to the wealthy Maffei family of Volterra and later to the Della Gherardesca family, relatives of Count Ugolino, the historical figure represented in Dante’s Divine Comedy.

The mining railway

Lignite and magnesite mining shaped the estate during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A dedicated railway carried lignite toward the Cecina–Volterra line between 1872 and 1928. Monterufoli’s present operational and hospitality complex occupies the former terminus and depot of the Casino di Terra–Monterufoli railway. The station remained associated with the mining operation until 1929, and surviving bridges, cuttings, tunnels, quarries and mine structures remain distributed across the property.

Development of viticulture

The Vermentino project began in 1998. Its development combined varietal research, investment and precision-farming techniques tailored to the needs of individual vines. The estate subsequently established two principal expressions of its vineyards: Pian di Seta Vermentino di Toscana IGT and Poggio Miniera Val di Cornia Rosso DOCG, the latter made from Sangiovese and named for the property’s mining heritage.

Organic conversion and management systems

From the 2021 production onward, all wine made at Monterufoli became organic. The transition formed part of a broader approach that eliminated chemical fertilisers, favoured organic formulations and biological products, limited plant-protection interventions to actual pathogen pressure and used natural preparations intended both to deter pests and strengthen the vines.

In 2022, Monterufoli was included in the group-wide work on certified management systems covering quality, labour practices and environmental performance. Its production activities are now included within the ISO 9001:2015 management system for wine and extra-virgin olive-oil production.

Restoration and hospitality

The former station and mining buildings were restored for hospitality. La Miniera, the principal building, occupies the former station; Le Scuderie and La Casa delle Guardie provide additional accommodation overlooking the valley. Historic elements and photographs preserve the memory of the mining complex, while the property now combines wine tourism, a restaurant, accommodation and outdoor routes through the reserve.

In 2025, the estate introduced a detailed virtual tour created by laser-scanning its architecture, interiors and functional spaces. The resulting digital twin allows remote exploration of the grounds, rooms, restaurant and wine-related areas.

By 2026, the property covered 1,030 hectares, including 16 hectares of vineyards. Around 90% of the land was coppice woodland and Mediterranean scrub, with the balance divided among pasture, arable fields, olive groves and vines.

Tenuta di Monterufoli lies in southern Pisa province, between the Val di Cecina and Val di Cornia and within the wooded landscape of the Monterufoli-Caselli Nature Reserve. The property forms part of the Colline Metallifere hinterland of the Etruscan Coast, a short distance inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The full estate extends across 1,030 hectares of hills ranging from 150 to 500 metres above sea level. Its 16 hectares of vineyards occupy positions between approximately 150 and 350 metres and are surrounded by forest. Around 90% of the property is covered by coppice woodland and Mediterranean scrub; the remainder is divided among pasture, arable land, olive groves and vines.

Vineyard soils are described as sandy-clay and limestone formations with abundant coarse material and minerals. The Vermentino sector is also characterised by silt-clay soils with a significant limestone component. The combination of these soils, the mineral-rich geology, the wooded setting and the influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea underpins the estate’s emphasis on freshness, savouriness and mineral character.

The landscape contains numerous thermal springs, streams and rocky outcrops. Remains of lignite and magnesite mines and ancient chalcedony quarries reveal the area’s geological and extractive history. Vineyards alternate with Mediterranean scrub, pine woods, oak and cork-oak forests, white gravel roads and former mining routes. The forest moderates summer conditions along shaded sites and watercourses, while the estate’s varied elevations and enclosed valleys create multiple local settings within a compact vineyard area.

Monterufoli has been fully organic since the 2021 production. By 2024, chemical fertilisers had been excluded for about a decade. Vineyard nutrition relies on organic formulations, with preference given to biological products.

Plant-protection treatments are applied in response to actual pathogen pressure rather than as routine intervention. Natural products are used both to deter pests and to reinforce the vines’ resistance.

Precision agriculture supports vine-by-vine decision-making. Automated irrigation systems receive temperature and humidity measurements from weather stations and generate real-time alerts when vines show signs of water stress. Irrigation is used as an emergency measure rather than as a standard production input.

Soil management is deliberately low-impact. Special subsoiling blades break compacted layers and improve porosity while leaving the grass cover above intact. Better porosity is intended to improve water retention and help the soil withstand both intense rainfall and prolonged drought.

Harvesting is manual and takes place early in the morning so that bunches reach the winery at a lower temperature. Skilled labour is treated as an essential part of the sustainability and quality programme.

The wider property supplies a substantial ecological buffer around the vines: roughly 90% of the estate is woodland and Mediterranean scrub, while vineyards coexist with pasture, arable fields, olive groves, streams and cork-oak woods.

The estate’s production is based on organically grown Vermentino and Sangiovese harvested by hand. Picking takes place in the cooler early-morning hours to protect fruit condition before processing.

Temperature-controlled stainless steel is used in the cellar, while oak and bottle maturation form part of the red-wine programme. Parcel selection for Sangiovese considers exposure and soil type. The production philosophy seeks to retain the freshness and mineral character associated with Monterufoli’s limestone, clay and mineral-rich soils.