Valdarno di Sopra DOC
ヴァルダルノ・ディ・ソプラ
A historic Tuscan gem recognized by Cosimo III in 1716.
Valdarno di Sopra DOC is a small, historic wine appellation in the province of Arezzo, eastern Tuscany, spanning the eastern and western slopes of the Arno river valley between the Arezzo plain and the Florentine hills. Its viticultural reputation dates back to Pliny the Elder, who praised the upper Arno Valley in his Naturalis Historia, and it was formally recognized as one of four premier wine districts by a 1716 edict of Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany — one of the world's earliest legally delimited wine zones. The modern DOC was granted in 2011. With just over 300 hectares under vine, it is one of Tuscany's smallest denominations, producing red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon. The area's soils are notably heterogeneous: galestro-rich sedimentary soils on the Pratomagno (right bank) and alluvial clay with fossils on the Pietraviva (left bank), while a Mediterranean-influenced summer climate ensures optimal ripening. The consortium is pursuing organic certification as a membership requirement, aiming to make Valdarno di Sopra Italy's first fully organic appellation.
Best for: Wine enthusiasts seeking historical depth and elegant, terroir-driven Tuscan wines.
No sub-regions registered yet.
Producers
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Petrolo
Located in the Valdarno di Sopra DOC on the southeastern slopes of the Chianti hills, Petrolo is a historic Tuscan estate owned by the Bazzocchi-Sanjust family since the 1940s. Under Luca Sanjust, who took over the family estate in the early 1990s, Petrolo shifted toward terroir-driven, organically certified viticulture (EU Organic Certification since 2016). The estate is internationally renowned for Galatrona, a 100% Merlot from a single 10-hectare vineyard planted in the late 1980s and early 1990s, widely regarded as one of Italy's finest Super Tuscan expressions of the variety alongside its Sangiovese-based Torrione and Bòggina bottlings.
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www.petrolo.it/テヌータ・セッテ・ポンティ
Tenuta Sette Ponti
Tenuta Sette Ponti is a leading Tuscan estate in Castiglion Fibocchi, in the Valdarno di Sopra area between Florence and Arezzo, owned by the Moretti Cuseri family since the 1950s. Its oldest vineyard, Vigna dell'Impero, was planted in 1935 by Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta and preserves a rare, unique Sangiovese clone. Architect Alberto Moretti Cuseri acquired the property from the House of Savoy-Aosta and dedicated it to viticulture; in the 1990s his son Antonio Moretti Cuseri took over, releasing Crognolo (1998) and then the estate's flagship, Oreno (1999), a Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot crafted with acclaimed enologist Giuseppe Caviola. The estate was named Gambero Rosso's Winery of the Year in 2015 and today the family also owns Orma in Bolgheri, Poggio al Lupo in Maremma, Feudo Maccari in Sicily and Contrada Santo Spirito on Etna. The estate takes its name, 'Seven Bridges,' from the seven bridges crossing the Arno River between Florence and Arezzo, and its wines are known for elegance, power and exceptional aging potential.
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www.tenutasetteponti.it/
Food Pairings
Grilled Bistecca alla Fiorentina, aged pecorino cheese, roasted game, and traditional Tuscan ribollita.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Valdarno di Sopra historically significant?
- It is one of the four wine regions officially delimited by Cosimo III de' Medici in 1716, making it one of the world's first legally protected wine appellations; the modern DOC status was granted in 2011.
- What types of wines are produced in this DOC?
- The DOC produces red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines, primarily from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon.
- What makes the terroir of Valdarno di Sopra distinctive?
- The appellation combines galestro-rich sedimentary soils on the Pratomagno side with alluvial clay soils on the Pietraviva side, all under a temperate climate that turns Mediterranean in summer, allowing balanced ripening across just over 300 hectares of vineyards.