Founded in 1998, Icario Wines is located near the town of Montepulciano, amongst the rolling hills of southern Tuscany ’s Siena region. The 22 hectare estate was bought by the German Rothenberger family in 2015.
Montepulciano is an ancient Tuscan wine-producing region in central
Italy (not to be confused with the grape of the same name from Abruzzo on Italy’s east coast). The climate is continental with an influence from the Mediterranean to the West, giving warm summers and moderate, wet winters. The main grape variety is
Sangiovese (known locally as Prugnolo Gentile), grown on high-altitude, sandy soil vineyards. Other notable grape varieties, including Merlot and Colorino, are grown on the estate’s lower-altitude, clay-rich plot. The estate practices Holistic Precision Viticulture, allowing for a drastic reduction in chemical sprays and water usage in the vineyard.
Sameness and typicality have no place in winemaker Franco Bernabei’s approach to winemaking. He looks to “uncover the individual nature of every wine and give it self-expression. And individuality begins in the soil.” His team craft unique wines of character in their state-of-the-art winery, using stainless steel and high-grade oak.