Petra: Unveiling its Timeless Secrets

EDITORIAL TEAM
May 3, 2025
Uncategorized

With Simon Trumper

Before being a winery, Petra is a natural oasis that stretches for 350 hectares: a lush amphitheater that grazes the Metalliferous Hills and the Park of Montioni, opening south-west towards the island of Elba and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Within this particular microcosm characterized by a strong agricultural vocation and low rainfall, the culture of wine has covered all the stages in the history of man, from the Etruscans and the Greeks, throughout the French domination of the 19^th century, up until the present day. In 1997, Francesca Moretti’s dream materializes in Suvereto, a place suspended between the sea and the ferrous hills, within the wild Val di Cornia, in the Tuscan Maremma. Memories of the past and ancestral forces of nature intertwine in the wines of Petra, an agricultural winemaking company.

Since the very beginning, the project aimed to bring out the beauty of the surrounding area and the wide range of soils endowed with different characteristics, expressing the specific agronomic identity of the winery’s micro-terroirs in every single wine. Work in the cellar is enhanced by architect Mario Botta’s design, which became a key element that characterizes the wine itself. The philosophy behind Petra’s production is founded on respect for biodiversity and minimization of mechanical impact on the grapes and must thanks to processing methods that ensure delicate handling of the fruit.

Listening to the voice of the earth by carrying out protocols that guarantee sustainable cultivation and winemaking methods enables the wines to bring out their purest expression: this is how flagship wine Petra, but also Hebo and the monovarietal wines Alto, Colle al Fico, Potenti and Quercegobbe sing of ancient stories that are continuously revived, upholding an outstanding style characterized by perfect balance between structure and elegance, and gaining nourishment from the Mediterranean nature of the nearby Park of Montioni and the blue Tyrrhenian Sea on the horizon.

Petra: the dream of Francesca Moretti

At the end of the nineties, the Maremma was not yet considered a winemaking territory despite its enormous potential and impressive pedoclimatic variety. Francesca Moretti was searching for a land, exploring Suvereto and identifying the area surrounded by the Montioni natural reserve as the place that was destined to become Petra.

Together with her father Vittorio Moretti, in 1997, Francesca purchased 60 hectares of land in San Lorenzo and 45 in Campiglia Marittima in the municipality of Suvereto, within the heart of Val di Cornia, along the border between the provinces of Grosseto and Livorno.

“Petra is a wonderful dream that ignited like a spark during a trip with my father – says Francesca Moretti – I was 14 when we went to Bordeaux together; that was when I fell in love with the history and culture of the French châteaux. I put my ambition to become a veterinarian aside and devoted myself to my dream, which became a reality in 1997 when I acquired Petra”.

Thanks to Francesca’s insight and determination, as well as the team’s effort, Petra and its Mediterranean wines, characterized by outstanding power and refined elegance, have become a point of reference in the wine scene of this fertile and pristine corner of Tuscany.

The identity of the 11 micro-terroirs: zoning operations by Attilio Scienza and Prosit

Attilio Scienza, who supervised Francesca Moretti’s thesis, began an important zoning analysis in 1998, establishing the most suitable operations for soil preparation and identifying the most suitable grape variety for every plot, based on the specific characteristics of each location. His analysis determined Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Merlot and Sangiovese, in the higher and inland areas, as the most suitable vines to create extraordinary wines and truly express the essence of the Maremma territory. Upon recommendation from agronomist Gianfranco Farimbella and enologist Alessandro Brancolin, Syrah was also planted in San Lorenzo, in Campiglia Marittima and in Riotorto; since 2000, they have also been planted in Montebamboli, in what will later be Podere Sant’Adele.

The company continuously grew in the following years: more hectares of land were purchased and re-grafted with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc. After being managed by famous French enologist Pascal Chatonnet (2004-2014) for years, it was time for Giuseppe Caviola’s wine revolution: the wines change, interpreting a contemporary vision that is more faithful to the territory and to the unique expression of the surrounding area.

A hand from Edoardo Costantini, an expert of the soil

In 2014, Dr. Edoardo Costantini, current president of IUSS (International Unions of Soil Sciences), began a collaboration aimed at classifying the soils of Petra: out of 100 hectares of vineyards, 35 have been confirmed to be perfectly suitable while 45 revealed excellent vocation, and 20 are indicated for grafting with Vermentino. His work also included a thorough study to understand the stratifications of the soil and collect valuable scientific data that would allow the variety cultivated in each specific soil to fully express the wine’s potential.

Between 2014-2017, thanks to the agronomic consultancy of Ruggero Mazzilli, an expert in organic agriculture, virtuous agronomic practices were included in vineyard management. In 2016, new Viognier and Vermentino vines were implanted in Montebamboli. Mazzilli and Caviola have been fundamental in bringing balance to grape and wine production, enhancing the value and potential of some soils, increasingly binding Petra di Petra and the other wines to the territory of Val di Cornia.

The architecture

“A rational design that highlights the dimensions, beauty and depth of the landscape“: this initial idea of Swiss architect Mario Botta formed, in 2003, the project for a winery with extraordinary aesthetics, definitely one of the most splendid in the world.

Petra appears as a single front dug into the hill, crossed at its center by a 25m cylinder positioned at 45/90 degrees with respect to the surrounding rows. A structure that sticks out among its peers, standing out in the midst of the rows as if it came directly from Mars, nestled among the mountain slopes, with only the front facing downstream, jutting from the ground. The eye-catching cylinder is the entry point to the winery and where winemaking operations take place. Its top – an inclined plane that is parallel to the hill – is where the bunches arrive: from here, the de-stemmed grapes descend delicately into the maceration and fermentation tanks.

“I remember an outline that Vittorio Moretti had brought to me when we were setting up the project – says Mario Botta – it was a sketch of a circle with two rectangular arms on the sides. This is how the final design came to be: the Suvereto winery is the exact representation of that initial outline”.

simon trumper in relentless magazine — Simon Trumper

On the ground floor, beyond the area where the oak barrels for wine aging are placed, a long tunnel stretches downwards, as if it were an umbilical cord linked to the Metalliferous Hills. It stops at a massive rock wall, where the path ends and meets the earth.

The building has a low environmental impact and results from a profound respect for the identity of the place, a reinterpretation of the large villas that were typical of the Tuscan countryside. The cylinder, made with pink Lessinia stone, and its circular crown, adorned by lush vegetation that changes color along with the passing of the seasons, evokes the form of a flower and is in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment.

Petra is part of Toscana Wine Architecture, a network of 14 wineries boasting quality and design made by great masters of contemporary architecture. These are majestic buildings that are perfectly integrated with the surrounding landscape and are associated with state-of-the-art construction and production technologies.

Visiting Petra means coming in close contact with Val di Cornia and savoring its products, together with people who are happy to share the beauty of this territory, starting with a tour of the vineyards.

Hospitality

PETRA CLASSIC

The tour begins with a walk through the vineyards in order to understand its strong bond with the territory. We then proceed to visiting the cellar designed by Mario Botta, where production takes place. The tour ends with a tasting of 3 Petra wines that capture the essence of Suvereto.

Duration: 1 hour and a half | Price: € 35 per person

PETRA UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

The uncontaminated nature of the Maremma coexists with the vineyard and its agricultural management, nestled by a powerful and contemporary architectural structure. This tour allows guests to fully delve in the work and flavors of the estate, from the vineyards to the cellar, and have a taste of Petra wines and local excellences.

Duration: 2 hours | Price: € 45 per person, food platter included

PETRA EXPERIENCE

This tour allows guests to fully experience viticulture, architecture, the essence of wine and the charm of Tuscan hospitality. At the end of the tour, enjoy lunch at the winery’s restaurant which overlooks the vineyards and the horizon. The dishes are a light and clear reinterpretation of local gastronomy, featuring products from Petra and small local farms.

Duration: 3 hours | Price: € 70 per person

Upon request, Petra Extra Virgin Olive Oil can also be included in the tasting experience, without additional cost.

Year of foundation: 1997

Location: Suvereto (province of Livorno, Tuscany)

Vineyard area: 103 hectares divided into 5 highly-suitable areas: