Much like the Olympic flame, the secrets of fine winemaking never die. Case in point is Fattoria Le Pupille; although the estate is still in its first generation (almost unheard of in this industry), owner Elisabetta Geppetti has sought the advice of legends; enter Antinori’s legendary winemaker, the late Giacomo Tachis (creator of Italy’s most expensive fine wine Sassicaia) as well as Riccardo Cotarella, of Château Latour fame.

Having decided at 20 that she wasn’t cut out for a life of studying, she began working at Le Pupille - a small family run wine estate. Advising on replanting for Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, by 1987 Fattoria Le Pupille released its first vintage of the now famous 1987 Saffredi - a xx blend. Elisabetta had been at the vineyard for just seven years. The estate’s first super Tuscan has been born.

In 1992 she was named the first female president Morellino di Scansano Consortium along with their of ‘Winemaker of the Year’ award. Uner her steerage, the estate has grown from a tiny two hectacres to the 75-hectacre of vineyards that that it is today (the estate is a mssive 420-hetacres in total, with arable and olive trees making up the remainer).

She might be using French grapes bit the wine is all-Italian. What started off as a pure Cabernet Savignon has had varying amounds of Merlot, Syrah and Alicante added (and substracted) throughout the past 25 years and today Elisabetta has settled on a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot blend.

Fattoria Le Pupille has eight appellations to its name, but it is the Safretti that captures our attentions from both a oenological and investment point of view. The blend has slowly evolved from that first bottle (in Q2 2019 just one bottle of the famous wine was avaialbe on the secondary market, at a very reasonable €100) into one of the most coveted fine wines on the market.