Donna Olimpia 1898

Donna Olimpia 1898 carries one of Bolgheri's most evocative origin stories. The estate was founded in 1898 when Count Gherardo della Gherardesca, of the historic family that has long shaped Bolgheri's landscape, named the property in honor of his wife Olimpia Alliata, Lady of Biserno, to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. The estate then remained part of the Gherardesca family holdings through generations until the modern wine project was launched in 2001 by Guido Folonari, then 33 years old and seeking what he called the new frontier of Italian wine. Folonari, an heir of the historical Folonari wine family known for centuries in northern Italian wine commerce, brought multigenerational winemaking expertise to the Bolgheri project. The estate has since become one of the appellation's notable second-wave producers, building on the foundation laid by Sassicaia and Ornellaia in earlier decades.

• Original estate named in 1898 by Count Gherardo della Gherardesca for his wife Olimpia Alliata (Lady of Biserno) on their 25th wedding anniversary
• Modern wine project launched in 2001 by Guido Folonari, heir of the historical Folonari wine family
• Folonari, at age 33 in 2001, was seeking what he called the new frontier of Italian wine in Bolgheri
• Estate represents a 'second wave' of Bolgheri investment, building on the Sassicaia and Ornellaia foundation

Donna Olimpia 1898 covers approximately 60 hectares within the Bolgheri DOC, with 45 hectares planted to vines. The property benefits from Bolgheri's signature coastal terroir, with Tyrrhenian Sea breezes providing summer cooling and gravelly, well-drained soils supporting late-ripening Bordeaux varieties. The estate emphasizes meticulous viticulture across its diverse plantings, with different varieties matched to specific parcels based on soil composition and exposure. The combination of Mediterranean climate, maritime moderation, and Bolgheri's signature gravelly soils provides ideal conditions for the estate's Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends and varietal whites.

• Approximately 60 hectares within the Bolgheri DOC with 45 hectares planted to vines
• Coastal terroir with Tyrrhenian Sea breezes providing critical summer cooling for late-ripening Bordeaux varieties
• Gravelly, well-drained soils typical of the Bolgheri appellation support both red and white varieties
• Parcel-specific varietal matching across diverse plantings to optimize quality

The estate's plantings cover both the classic Bolgheri Bordeaux palette and an unusually wide range of white varieties for the appellation. Reds include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, and Petit Verdot. Whites include Vermentino, Viognier, and the rarely seen Petit Manseng from southwestern France. This unusual white-variety palette reflects the Folonari family's interest in exploring Bolgheri's potential beyond the dominant Bordeaux-red model. Winemaking emphasizes parcel-by-parcel vinification, controlled fermentation in stainless steel and oak depending on style, and extended aging in French oak barriques for the flagship reds. The flagship Bolgheri Superiore is a Cabernet Sauvignon-led Bordeaux blend representative of the appellation style.

• Red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, and Petit Verdot
• White varieties: Vermentino, Viognier, and the rarely seen Petit Manseng from southwestern France
• Unusually wide white palette reflects Folonari family's interest in exploring Bolgheri's potential beyond the dominant Bordeaux-red model
• Parcel-specific vinification and extended French oak aging for flagship Bolgheri Superiore Bordeaux blend

The estate produces wines across the Bolgheri DOC quality hierarchy and Toscana IGT. The Bolgheri Rosso is the entry red, an approachable Bordeaux blend offering early-drinking accessibility with the estate's coastal character. The Bolgheri Superiore is the flagship, a Cabernet Sauvignon-led Bordeaux blend with extended oak aging for structural depth and aging capability. The estate also bottles a Bolgheri Vermentino white, a Vermentino-led blend with Viognier and Petit Manseng, and limited-release single-variety expressions. Volumes are deliberately modest across the range, with the Bolgheri Superiore representing the estate's most ambitious wine and the principal vehicle for international recognition.

• Bolgheri Rosso DOC: entry-level Bordeaux blend offering approachable, early-drinking expression of the estate style
• Bolgheri Superiore DOC: flagship Cabernet Sauvignon-led Bordeaux blend with extended oak aging for structural depth
• Bolgheri Vermentino white: distinctive blend combining Vermentino with Viognier and Petit Manseng
• Limited-release single-variety bottlings and Toscana IGT wines round out the portfolio

Donna Olimpia 1898 occupies a distinctive position in Bolgheri as a second-wave estate that pairs deep historical roots with modern investment energy. The 19th-century origin story tied to Olimpia Alliata and the Gherardesca family connects the estate to Bolgheri's broader aristocratic landscape, while Guido Folonari's 2001 acquisition brought serious winemaking ambition and resources from one of Italy's most established wine families. The estate's unusually broad white-variety palette, including the rare Petit Manseng, signals an exploratory approach distinct from the more rigid Bordeaux-only orthodoxy of some Bolgheri peers. The result is an estate that builds on the appellation's established Cabernet-led flagship tradition while expanding the conversation around what Bolgheri can produce.

• Second-wave Bolgheri estate combining 19th-century historical roots with modern Folonari-family investment energy from 2001
• Historical origin story ties the estate to the Gherardesca family, central to Bolgheri's aristocratic landscape
• Unusually broad white-variety palette, including rare Petit Manseng, signals exploratory approach distinct from Bordeaux-only orthodoxy
• Builds on appellation's established Cabernet-led tradition while expanding the conversation around Bolgheri's potential