History: a story of vines and winegrowers

Historical research reveals that the lands that comprise Guado al Melo have been dedicated to viticulture for at least 200 years, in the period when they were part of the great Espinassi-Moratti estate, which had its origins in the late 18th century.

At that time, Guado al Melo was known as Vigneto di Santa Maria, and it formed one single property with another that borders it today, Grattamacco, an extensive vineyard known for the high quality of its wines.

Grape varieties cultivated there at the time included Vermentino, Trebbiano, Malvasia, Canaiolo, Sangiovese, and, beginning in the 19th century, Cabernet, and in the 20th, Merlot.

Over the 20th century the great estate was partially dismembered, and Guado al Melo was successively owned by various proprietors, but was always kept in vineyard. In 1992, however, a new owner planted fruit orchards and olive trees. This interval was brief, though, since the property was purchased in 1992 by the Scienza family, who revived the historically venerable vineyards.

Originally, the Fossa di Bolgheri, gathering excess waters from the stream, traversed the centre of the plateau, but its course was altered by means of a small wall, known as the Steccaia di Grattamacco, which pushed it towards the boundary area farther to the north.

The Scienza family enjoys a long tradition in viticulture in their traditional home region of Trentino. Their decision to start a new winery at Guado al Melo was prompted not by chance but by the area’s lengthy history of grapegrowing and by the excellence of its soils. The vineyards were planted in the winter of 1999, and in 2000, Michael moved to live in Tuscany, together with his wife Annalisa, who works alongside him. They completed the cellar in 2004. Their two children, Giovanni (2001) and Federico (2007), comprise the first “all-Tuscan” generation.