The history of Azienda Agricola Palazzo is a story of passion, homecomings and destiny. It all began in 1955, when Cosimo Loia, originally from Benevento, moved to England for work.
With his wife Antonietta Palazzo, he started a successful restaurant business in England and Scotland, where they lived for over twenty years.
But Italy was always in his heart. During visits to his parents in Campania, Cosimo often stopped in Tuscany to greet his brothers, who lived in the province of Florence. Every time he set foot in those lands, his love for Tuscany grew, and with it the desire to return. A desire that became reality in the early 1980s.
In 1982, during one of these trips, Cosimo stopped in Montalcino. It was love at first sight. The poignant beauty of the landscape, the rolling hills and the timeless tranquillity won him over.
He began visiting farms for sale until he came across a place that He began visiting farms for sale until he came across a place that seemed straight out of a dream: a 12-hectare hillside estate overlooking the spectacular Val d’Orcia, which later became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As luck would have it – or perhaps it was fate – the farm was called Palazzo, just like Antonietta’s surname.
The beginning of the adventure in Montalcino
In February 1983, the family moved permanently to Montalcino and began a long journey of dreams, sacrifices and vision. First came the renovation of the 17th-century farmhouse, then the planting of the first vineyards.
In 1985, the first vineyard of about 1.5 hectares was planted: today affectionately called ‘Vigna Cosimo’. It was the beginning of an ambitious wine-making project deeply rooted in respect for tradition.
In 1990, the grapes began to be vinified as Rosso di Montalcino, thanks in part to the involvement of the children. In 1994, the vines reached 9 years of age, the time necessary to obtain ripe grapes suitable for the production of Brunello di Montalcino.
It was a historic year: the first harvest of Brunello was produced.
A family winery, combining tradition and love for the land
Cosimo and Antonietta had a clear goal: to produce Brunello di Montalcino following an artisanal and traditional style, with attention to every detail, from the vineyard to the bottle.
The winery is located on the south-eastern slope of Montalcino, an area renowned for the elegance and structure of its wines.
Over time, other plots were planted, reaching a total of 4.2 hectares of Brunello-certified Sangiovese Grosso in 2000, leaving about 2 hectares for olive groves.
In 2012, Cosimo Loia passed away. In his honour, the family decided to dedicate a special Brunello Selezione to him, produced exclusively from the vineyard he planted in 1985: 900 bottles that carry on his memory and vision.
Since then, his eldest daughter Elia has been in charge of the commercial side of the business, the winery and hospitality, while his youngest son Angelo manages the vineyards. Today, the new generation is also beginning to join the company, with Elia’s daughter Sabrina ready to carry on this precious legacy.
Production philosophy
Palazzo is a family-run winery, where every choice is guided by passion, respect for the land and love for wine.
Production follows the principles of organic farming. Every year, soil analyses are carried out and legumes and grasses are used as green manure to enrich the soil naturally.
Each vine is treated individually: from dry pruning to green pruning, to the selection of bunches, always favouring low yields to ensure excellent quality.
Harvesting is done manually, and the bunches are carefully selected according to he type of wine to be produced.
In the cellar
The grapes used for Brunello come from the poorest, rockiest areas, with soil composed of galestro and loose sand, while those used for Rosso are harvested in the more clayey areas, where the vines are more vigorous and the bunches larger.
The approach in the cellar is also artisanal:
Spontaneous fermentation in steel or cement, without the addition of yeasts. Long maceration (20-24 days) with gentle pumping over. Controlled temperatures (27-28°C).
Traditional ageing in Slavonian oak barrels (10, 15, 20 and 25 hl).
Wines produced
Production currently stands at around 21,000 bottles per year:
• 14,000 bottles of Brunello di Montalcino
• 4,500 bottles of Rosso di Montalcino
• 1,200 bottles of Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, only in the best vintages
• 900 bott les of Brunello di Montalcino Cosimo selection, only in the best vintages
Ageing times
• Brunello: 36-38 months in casks + 6-8 months in bottles
• Brunello Riserva: approximately 46 months total + 8 months in bottles
• Brunello di Montalcino Cosimo: 40 months total + 12 months in bottles
• Rosso di Montalcino: 14 months total
OUR TASTINGS
sotto le singole proposte, invierete una richiesta di Prenotazione alla Cantina che vi risponderà per conferma in breve tempo.
TASTING 3 WINES – € 25pp
• Rosso di Montalcino 2023
• Brunello di Montalcino 2020
• Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019
The tasting is accompanied by a selection of cured meats and cheeses typical of the area, to enhance the aromas and flavours of our wines.
TASTING 5 WINES – € 45pp
• Rosso di Montalcino 2023
• Brunello di Montalcino 2020
• Brunello di Montalcino 2019
• Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019
• Brunello di Montalcino Cru “Cosimo” 2019
The tasting is accompanied by a selection of cured meats and cheeses typical of the area, to enhance the aromas and flavours of our wines.
TASTING 7 WINES – € 60pp
• Rosso di Montalcino 2023
• Brunello di Montalcino 2018
• Brunello di Montalcino 2019
• Brunello di Montalcino 2020
• Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019
• Brunello di Montalcino Cru “Cosimo” 2019
• Toscana Rosso IGT “Alcineo” 2018
The tasting is accompanied by a selection of cured meats and cheeses typical of the area, to enhance the aromas and flavours of our wines.
OUR PRODUCTS
Alcineo – Toscana Rosso IGT, 2018
85% Sangiovese Grosso 15% Merlot e Cabernet – Affinamento 24 mesi in botti di rovere da 20/25hl.
Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2023
Sangiovese Grosso 100% – Aged for 12-15 months in 20/25hl oak barrels.
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2020
Sangiovese Grosso 100% – Aging 36 months in 10/20/25 Hl oak barrels
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2019
Sangiovese Grosso 100% – Aged 36 months in 20/25hl oak barrels and 12 months in 5hl French tonneaux.
Brunello di Montalcino “Cosimo” 2019
Sangiovese Grosso 100% – Aging for 40 months in 5/10 hl oak barrels
REVIEW
Alex Bertrand Local Guide·70 recensioni·194 foto⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You should try the riserva. Best red wine I had during my two weeks in Italy. The place itself is beautiful, a terrace to look the beautiful landscape of Tuscany where time lasts forever. We had a very nice welcome and will keep this place in our heart.
Jesper Swahn 5 recensioni⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
En fantastisk upplevelse!
Vi tog en spontan omväg en söndag och fann denna pärla. Mötte Elia som på en gång öppnade upp och välkomnade oss till deras familjegård. Vi fick en rundvandring och hela historien om gården. Då vi kom höll man på att skörda men Elia tog sig ändå tid för oss och var oerhört gästvänlig. Provsmakning hann vi också med, riktigt goda viner!
Kan inte nog rekommendera detta ställe, en riktig pärla!
Jan Šmíd Local Guide·55 recensioni·31 foto⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely fantastic place. Elia is simply great person, she prepared 5 different wines, than added another 2 including Brunello Riserva 2004! Wine is excellent, starting with basic rosso6 and ends with Brunello Riserva, different vintages.
For me, the best tasting in Italy ever and one of the best at the last 15 years. Next year I will come back 101%.
Natalie Nicho 2 recensioni⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The wines are amazing and Elia took time away from Harvesting to give us a private tasting. We had a great experience and learned a lot about the area and the grapes grown in the region. We went home with a few bottles and definitely plan on returning again. The dogs are just as friendly as the humans, we felt right at home 🙂
Jiří Leipert Local Guide·1.713 recensioni·28154 foto⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Skvostné rodinné vinařství a perfektně vedená ochutnávka – po prohlídce vinohradů, sklípků a technologie vinařství je organizována delikatesní tabule a výběr sedmi exkvizitních vín s detailním odborným výkladem. Brunello si v tomto podání prostě nelze nezamilovat! Díky moc a snad někdy příště…
Zohar Sani Local Guide·70 recensioni·90 foto⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Amazing visit! The kind owner received us around sunset, we tasted their great wines and heard from her about the place and the family. Thank you! Very recommended!
Jiří Nedělka 4 recensioni⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Excelent place giving wide view of Tuscany, very nice family, testing of various wines was unforgettable experience ,with served cheese, prosciutto, bread. Wines were excellent, some one even more excellent. Decision was clear ,to buy a few cartons of wine home. Please be so good in the future.
Arnim Selle 1 recensione⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Elia hat uns heute wunderbar mit einer Weinprobe überrascht,sehr nette Familie und außergewöhnlich freundlich, besonders der Boss der Familie,die 79 jährige Mutter. Die Weine, von Rosso bis Brunello Reserva, von tadelloser Qualität.hj
Fredrik Hermann Local Guide·86 recensioni·30 foto⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely one of the best wineries we tried. Elia was a fantastic host, she explained every detail in their wines. If you are in the, don’t miss it out. And don’t forget to pat the dogs 😉
caio rezende Local Guide·41 recensioni·9 foto⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Estive na vinícola em 2019 junto com minha esposa, não avaliei na época mas reprogramando nova viagem, me recordei de como fomos bem recebidos pelo dono, sua esposa, sogra e o inesquecível cachorro…nos contou de seus projetos e apresentou sua seleção de vinhos…comprei um exemplar que se encontra em minha adega até hoje, com certeza beberei em breve e farei um brinde ao seu sucesso, saúde!!
Giovanna Lara De Paoli Local Guide·26 recensioni·55 foto⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Increíble bodega en medio de un paisaje maravilloso. Sus dueños son muy amables y nos trataron excelente. Nos sentimos como en casa.
Deliciosos vinos .
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