Fattoria Le Pupille
They have always been called Le Pupille, the pupils, those two farmhouses on the peak of two hills, turning their back to the medieval village Pereta. For long years there were no vineyards in the area, but cork oaks, wheat, mediterranean woods, the most classical scenery of a Maremma landscape of former days. In those times there was no recognized dignity of Maremma as a territory with great viticultural potentials and Morellino Di Scansano was a pleasant wine which surely did not aspire to compare itself with great Italian denominations. However, everything changed at Le Pupille thanks to the enthusiasm and intuition of Elisabetta Geppetti, a young student at the time, who had foreseen great productive potential in the countryside she loved, where she spent her summer holidays in her family’s house. Today Fattoria Le Pupille means 75 hectares of vineyards, over 500,000 bottles made every year, the presence in the markets of four continents and an undisputed role as Ambassador of Maremma.
The Ladies of Morellino
They call her the Lady of Morellino and the Ambassador of Maremma. She has been the first woman to be the president of a consortium in 1992, year of foundation of the Morellino di Scansano Consortium. The german headliner Der Feinschmecker proclaimed her ‘Wine-maker of the year’ a few years back.
Elisabetta Geppetti has given life to a dream thanks to her tenacious character and the enthusiasm of her youth, which are now, after 30 years, the traits which characterise her best. It is also thanks to her entrepreneurial ability, which has allowed her to build one of the most important wineries in Tuscany, is placed side by side her ability to manage 5 children, and the firstborn Clara, is already keeping herself busy with the winery business.
The Winery
The operating nucleus of the property, from early 2000, is in proximity of Istia d’Ombrone, nearby Grosseto. The property is an antique farmhouse and its silhouette is present in some of the most recognisable wine labels of Le Pupille, the whole winery is surrounded by a 12 hectares vineyard, including a small patch destined to an experimentation of old Sangiovese grapes, coming from ancient vine rows. At first it is difficult to imagine that this large, quiet house is the beating heart of an agricultural activity, it rather seems like a noble residency surrounded by a large english style lawn and a myriad of flowers. Then the smell of must reveals the presence of a winery hidden by ivy, and once one enters the well-finished environment, the offices and tasting room appear like a succession of drawing rooms that the house owner has made to be warm and welcoming.