Saladini Pilastri

The history of the Counts Saladini Pilastri, a noble family from Ascoli Piceno, goes back more than a thousand years, but it is only for about 300 years that the family has been engaged in wine production. Its 320-hectare winery is located in the very south of the Marches, in the heart of the Rosso Piceno production zone, near the municipality of Spinetoli, just eight kilometres from the Adriatic Sea. In 1970 a second cantina was built next to the splendid 15th century country house, which originally served as a production site. In the following years new vines were planted on the agricultural property. A milestone was the conversion to organic cultivation according to European guidelines, which began in 1994.

The fact that the Saladini Pilastri winery does not use any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers at all benefits not only the environment but also the wines. After a quality boost in the 1980s, these fine wines have once again gained enormously in class since organic certification. In the Italian guide to organic wines, the Marche estate is therefore listed as one of the best wineries in Italy.

The very old winery has first-class vineyards that extend southwards over the valley of the Tronto. The production area is characterised by long, hot summers with cool breezes from the Adriatic Sea. About half of the estate is located in the municipalities of Monteprandone and Porto d'Ascoli planted with vines on mostly calcareous soils. There, grapes of the best quality thrive, from which several top wines are vinified.

Saladini Pilastri's wines have a unique and unmistakable personality. Investments were made in new technical equipment, steel tanks and barrels to process and age the most important crops. White wines account for more than half of the drops produced exclusively from our own grapes. The raw material consists of Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Pecorino, Passerina, Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay. The reds are clearly dominated by the Montepulciano and Sangiovese varieties. While the top wines are aged in barriques between twelve and 24 months, the red DOC wines mature for six to 18 months in larger barrels.

The Saladini Pilastri family does not pay dearly for their diligence in the vineyard and the cellar, nor for their strong environmental awareness. Rather, the noble drops of the progressive clan are offered in retail at very customer-friendly prices. SUPERIORE.DE