Winery Tour and Wine Tasting in the Rieti Countryside
Where ancient vines, mountain air, and the rediscovered Cesanese grape tell the story of a land shaped by centuries of cultivation.
This Rieti countryside winery tour brings visitors inside a family-run vineyard perched between 610 and 650 meters above sea level, where organic viticulture, a 15th-century cellar, and four curated wine tastings combine into a single, grounded experience. The visit is designed for those who want to understand wine through landscape and memory rather than through a script. It is accessible, unhurried, and rooted in genuine local tradition.
The vineyards sit at the edge of the Rieti basin, sheltered by the slopes of Monte Terminillo. High altitude, mineral-rich soils, and consistent mountain breezes create growing conditions that render chemical intervention unnecessary. The estate works entirely without synthetic fertilizers or herbicides, relying instead on cover cropping and hand labor to maintain biodiversity across every parcel.
The property traces its documented history to the 15th century, and the original stone vats in the underground cellar survive as working evidence of that past. Restored without losing their integrity, the cellars now serve a dual function: housing the secondary fermentation of sparkling wines produced using the traditional method, and providing the stable cool environment required for aging wines in large oak casks.
The visit culminates with the story of the Cesanese of Castelfranco, an indigenous grape variety that came close to disappearing before being officially recognized as a distinct local cultivar in 2017. Today it anchors the estate's identity, producing a ruby-red wine marked by wild berries, cocoa, and a trace of black pepper — a bottle that tastes precisely like the land it comes from.
Tour Highlights
Walk through organically farmed, high-altitude vineyards nurtured without synthetic inputs, where each parcel is hand-tended and matched to its specific microclimate.
Explore a restored 15th-century underground cellar that still houses the original stone vats once used for pressing and fermentation.
Discover the Cesanese of Castelfranco, a nearly lost indigenous grape officially recognized in 2017 and now a point of regional pride.
Taste four selected wines paired with locally produced cured meats crafted in-house, each pairing chosen to reflect the character of the wine and the territory.
Learn how the traditional method is applied on-site, with sparkling wines undergoing secondary fermentation in bottle under naturally stable cellar conditions.
Understand how large oak casks shape the depth and structure of the estate's still wines during extended aging in the dedicated aging cellar.
Gain a clear sense of how the Rieti basin's geography, altitude, and soil composition contribute to the flavor profiles in every bottle produced here.
What to Expect
The visit opens with a guided walk through the vineyard parcels, situated between 610 and 650 meters above sea level on the edge of the Rieti basin. The guide explains how each plot is assigned a grape variety suited to its soil type and sun exposure, and how sustainable practices shape the growing season from pruning through harvest.
The group descends into the underground cellar dating to the 15th century, where the original stone pressing vats remain in place. The guide details how the space was restored and how it now functions as a naturally temperature-stable environment for producing sparkling wine using the traditional method.
In the aging cellar, large oak casks hold wines at various stages of development. Here the guide shares the account of how the Cesanese of Castelfranco was identified, protected, and brought back into cultivation before receiving official recognition as a distinct variety in 2017.
The visit concludes in the dedicated tasting space, where four wines are served alongside in-house cured meats. Each wine is introduced in the context of the vineyard and the season that produced it, and the pairings are explained in relation to the sensory profile of each bottle.
What Is Included
Included
- Guided tour of the organic vineyards
- Visit to the 15th-century underground cellar
- Visit to the oak cask aging cellar
- Tasting of four selected wines
- Local in-house cured meat pairings
- Commentary on the Cesanese of Castelfranco grape variety
Not Included
- Transportation to and from the winery
- Additional food or beverage beyond what is provided
- Wine purchases
- Gratuities
Important Information
Reserve Your Place in the Vineyard
Spaces on this tour are limited to preserve the quality of the experience. Secure your spot and arrive ready to explore one of Lazio's most quietly compelling wine destinations.
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