The name Pieve Santa Restituta derives from the ancient Pieve (church) situated in the middle of the estate and owned by the clergy until the early 70s. A romantic medieval Tuscan town, Montalcino is surrounded by hills and dense woods. The soil, altitude and lush topography make Montalcino the ideal home for the Sangiovese grape and the celebrated wine of the area, Brunello di Montalcino.

In 1994 the Gaja family purchased the 40 hectares of land, 27 out of which is planted with vines. The vineyards are in a particularly privileged position, facing south and south-west with an altitude ranging from 320 to 350 above sea level. The hills, of the Eocene age, overlook the sea and are characterised by a lightly windy, dry and bright microclimate.

The lime-rich, rocky subsoil of the Pieve Santa Restituta estate helps to define the balance of red fruit, minerality, and tannin in the winery’s Brunello di Montalcino.

History & more

Montalcino is a romantic, medieval town where you can enjoy beautiful views over the Tuscan hills and woods. You can also enjoy the local food and of course the famous wine, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. Made from Sangiovese Grosso grapes.



Pieve Santa Restituta is located in the southwest subzone of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG appellation. This winery became part of the famous ‘Angelo Gaja’ family in 1994. On his search for wines that show the best quality and are the highest expression of the land in which they are born, they bought the estate. This was the first acquisition outside of Piedmont.

A “pieve” is a parish church, Pieve Santa Restituta is named after the church that stands on the property. According to church records, wine has been produced here since the 12th century.

With respect for the estate’s heritage and an awareness of its great potential, GAJA improved the vineyards and renovated the winery.

In 2006, the Gaja family acquired an additional twenty-five acres of southward facing vineyards in the northeastern subzone of the Brunello di Montalcino appellation. GAJA also recently completed the installation of its state-of-the-art winemaking facility. The cellar lies below the ground and covers 4,000 square meters. The new cellar was incorporated in the existing cellar to impact the environment as little as possible.

The Wines

The white, rocky soils of this area are ideal for the cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso, the single grape variety used in Brunello di Montalcino DOCG.

Pieve Santa Restituta produces 3 wines, a classic, blended Brunello di Montalcino and two vineyard-designated wines, Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille and Brunello di Montalcino Rennina.

The ‘classic’ Brunello di Montalcino

With the 2005 vintage, for the first time in history, the GAJA family decided to produce a classic Brunello without single vineyard designation, blended from all 40 acres the family has planted throughout the entire region. Pieve Santa Restituta’s Brunello di Montalcino is now produced from a selection of estate-grown grapes from throughout the winery’s four non-contiguous vineyards as well as 25 acres of southwest facing vineyards in Torrenieri, in northeastern Montalcino, acquired in 2006.

Sugarille

Sugarille is considered one of the top expressions of Brunello di Montalcino. According to archives found at Pieve Santa Restituta, the Sugarille vineyard was already a vineyard mid-16th century (1541). The name Sugarille, is derived from the Latin suber, meaning cork oak, possibly because cork trees were found there.

Rennina

The designation Rennina first appears in the Middle Ages and is derived from the late-Roman name of the estate, Fundus Rescianum, meaning a state-owned farm. Since the Gaja family’s acquisition of the historic estate in 1994, three growing sites have been devoted to the cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso grapes for the production of Brunello di Montalcino: Santo Pietro (St. Peter), Castagno (Chestnut Tree), and Pian dei Cerri (Turkish Oak Flats). Here, lime-rich subsoils, southwest exposure, and ventilation arriving from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west deliver well-balanced Brunello di Montalcino, defined by its characteristic red fruit notes, minerality, and polished tannins.

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