The organic Brunello estate where Wine Wellness begins.
Terralsole sits in the hills south of Siena, in the heart of Montalcino, the appellation that gives Brunello its name. The estate occupies two distinct vineyards at roughly 400 meters elevation, one facing south-east and one facing west.
Montalcino is a microclimate. Warm days, cool nights, dry summers, wet autumns. The Sangiovese Grosso grape, the only grape permitted in Brunello, has been farmed here since the nineteenth century. Terralsole is one of roughly two hundred estates producing Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, and one of a small number farming certified organic.
Athena Tergis Bollag and Mario Bollag bought Terralsole in 2004. They had met, married, and decided, the way Tuscan winemakers have been deciding for centuries, to buy a farmhouse and plant a vineyard.
Mario is the winemaker of the pair in the technical sense. He handles fermentation, aging, blending. Athena is the winemaker in the older sense, the one who knows the season, walks the vines, tastes the vintage from barrel, and carries the wine into the world.
They have been doing this for twenty-plus harvests. They still argue about the 2015.
Certified organic means no synthetic chemicals. No glyphosate. No systemic pesticides. No fertilizers derived from petroleum. The vines are fed with compost from the estate. The rows are kept by the sheep that graze between them in winter. The cover crops are planted and turned into the soil in spring.
It is more expensive. It is more labor-intensive. It is, in Mario's words, the only way to make wine that still tastes like the place.
Vineyard Onethe south-east-facing site at 400m. Older vines, mostly planted in the 1980s by the previous owner. The source of the classic Brunello character: dark cherry, leather, wild herbs.
Vineyard Twothe west-facing site at 380m. Younger vines, planted in the early 2010s. More elegant, more aromatic. The source of much of the Riserva blend.
The flagship. 100% Sangiovese Grosso, minimum five years aging, minimum two of which in oak. Elegant, structured, age-worthy.
The pinnacle. Produced only in exceptional years. Minimum six years aging. Deep, complex, meditative. Decant two hours ahead, serve at 18°C.
The younger sibling. 100% Sangiovese Grosso, minimum one year aging. Vibrant, fruit-forward, approachable. The wine for Tuesday nights.
A bold blend. Sangiovese plus a local secret. Rich, modern, plush. The wine for barbecues and roasted meats.
Cold-pressed, unfiltered, peppery. Drizzled on everything from grilled vegetables to warm bread.
Terralsole is a working estate. It is also a place where you're welcome. We host tastings, dinners, and occasional overnight stays for Vivanti at the Inner Circle tier.
Pertimali is a smaller estate owned by Sabina and Lorenzo , friends of Athena and Mario, and now partners of Wine Wellness. We collaborate with them on limited wine releases, and their three-bedroom agriturismo is our recommended accommodation for Vivanti visiting Montalcino independently.
The best way to understand Terralsole is to watch it unfold. Athena posts from the vineyard most days. The vendemmia , harvest season, is the most beautiful six weeks of the year.
