Trade & Investment Agency

The chronicle of Tenuta Il Poggione, as we know it today, begins at the end of the last century. It tells the story of Lavinio Franceschi, a landowner from Scandicci—in the hills crowning Florence—who was so fascinated by the tales of a shepherd moving his flocks to the Maremma side of the hills between Montalcino and Sant’Angelo, that he organized a site visit, completely disregarding the distance and the dangers facing travelers at the time. The visit proved so compelling that, captivated by such a majestic landscape, he purchased the land.
At the end of the 1800s, the Franceschi family inscribed their name into the estate's golden registry, alongside the Tolomei and the Counts of Ciaia. Franceschi’s greatest merit was recognizing the winemaking potential of the area and of the Sangiovese grape that had always been cultivated there. His management marked the transition from a near-medieval style of agriculture to one run with modern methods and entrepreneurship. New Sangiovese clones better suited for quality production were selected, and new vineyards were planted in the most favorable terroirs, with the goal of producing premium wines. Additionally, the estate winery was built using state-of-the-art technology for the era, without losing sight of tradition and authenticity. After more than a century, the work of Lavinio Franceschi remains a fundamental cornerstone for his heirs, Leopoldo and Livia, who continue to develop the company with the same dedication and unaltered passion, combining ancient, wise winemaking traditions with the most innovative techniques.
Today, Tenuta Il Poggione is one of the largest estates in the municipality of Montalcino, spanning approximately 600 hectares, divided into 140 hectares of vineyards, 70 hectares of olive groves, as well as arable land and woodlands. The company's core philosophy is to care meticulously for the vineyards, as the secret to producing great red wines lies precisely in careful vineyard management. Tenuta Il Poggione has always practiced diversified agriculture, alternating various crops with the vineyards. More recently, it installed photovoltaic panels on the roof of its winery, thereby reducing the environmental impact of its wines. In its constant effort to safeguard authenticity and improve quality, Tenuta Il Poggione pairs its research and selection activities with a drastic reduction in yields. Furthermore, through cluster thinning, continuous monitoring of vineyard health, and constant management of soil nutrient requirements, it is possible to achieve an excellent product even in the most challenging vintages. Starting from the 2025 vintage, the estate is certified organic.
At Il Poggione, the harvest is entirely manual, and winemaking follows the traditional method while utilizing modern, cutting-edge technology. The new winery, built in 2004 in the heart of the estate, allows for total control over the vinification process through the use of highly sophisticated temperature control technologies; the submerged-cap fermentation technique was also introduced. This technique significantly increases the concentration of coloring substances found in the grape skins. For the aging of its red wines, Tenuta Il Poggione stores large 30 and 50 Hl French oak barrels in a barrel cellar located 5 meters underground.