Ercolani
エルコラーニ
Historic Montepulciano winery aging wine in a 15th-century underground city.
Ercolani is a family-run winery in the historic center of Montepulciano, Tuscany, with winemaking roots tracing back to the 1940s and formally established as a company in 1988 by brothers Carlo and Marco Ercolani. The estate manages roughly 150 hectares of land encompassing 14 hectares of vineyards, olive groves, truffle grounds, and sheep pasture across the Poliziano territory, farming native varieties including Prugnolo Gentile (the local Sangiovese clone), Canaiolo Nero, Mammolo, Colorino, and Ciliegiolo. The winery's signature feature is the Città Sotterranea (Underground City), a 15th-century Gothic-Renaissance cellar complex tunneling beneath the noble palaces of Montepulciano's old town, complete with an Etruscan tomb, where Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG and Vin Santo DOC age in oak barrels alongside a small museum of viticultural artifacts. Vinification follows traditional methods, using wooden vats and small-to-medium oak barrels, and the estate also produces grappa, extra virgin olive oil, pecorino cheese, cured meats, and fresh truffles reflecting the broader Tuscan agricultural heritage of the property.
www.ercolanimontepulciano.it/ ↗Cuvées
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Who Is This For?
For travelers and wine lovers drawn to authentic, tradition-rooted Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and anyone fascinated by wine tourism paired with genuine local history — the Città Sotterranea offers one of Tuscany's most atmospheric cellar visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Ercolani's Città Sotterranea (Underground City)?
- It is a 15th-century underground cellar complex beneath the historic center of Montepulciano, running under seven noble palaces. Ercolani ages Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG and Vin Santo in oak barrels there, and the tunnels also house a small museum of viticultural tools and an Etruscan tomb.
- What grape varieties does Ercolani grow?
- Ercolani cultivates native Tuscan varieties central to Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, primarily Prugnolo Gentile (the local Sangiovese clone), along with Canaiolo Nero, Mammolo, Colorino, and Ciliegiolo across roughly 14 hectares of vineyards.
- How old is Ercolani as a winery?
- The Ercolani family has been making wine in Montepulciano since the 1940s, when the founders' great-grandfather worked in the cellar. The company was formally established in 1988 by brothers Carlo and Marco Ercolani.
- Can visitors tour the winery and taste the wines?
- Yes. Ercolani offers guided tours of the Città Sotterranea combined with wine tastings and light food pairings, ranging from casual walk-in visits to reserved group experiences.
- What other products does Ercolani produce besides wine?
- Beyond Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Vin Santo, the estate produces grappa, extra virgin olive oil, pecorino cheese, cured meats, honey, and fresh truffles from its broader 150-hectare property.