About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The fruit comes from the Volpaiole estate vineyard in the hills of Maremma on the Etruscan Coast, an area surrounded by several national parks. The vineyard supports diverse local plants and wildlife, with mint, violets and wild fennel growing in the area. The Guyot-trained vines stand at 150–180 metres above sea level, facing south and southeast, on predominantly clay and slate soils.
Grapes
The grapes are selected before vinification.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks.
Ageing
The wine rests for 12–15 months in sandstone amphorae made near Genoa. Olivier chooses sandstone because he considers wines aged in terracotta amphorae too heavy.
Tasting profile
The wine has a distinctly feminine character, centred on freshness and versatility.
Label / history
The wine is named after Pema, a four-year-old Tibetan girl who held Olivier’s hand while he accompanied a group of children across the Himalayas in 1998. He created it as a tribute to her and to her people living in exile, seeking a new interpretation of the variety despite not usually liking wines made from it.
In Tuscan dialect, “Volpaiole” means “Fox’s Corner.” The label depicts a stylized animal head, created by a German artist as a red triangle against a white background to represent the vineyard. Annual production is limited to no more than 2,000 bottles.
