Petra, the fine winery of Mario Botta for Terra Moretti Group relaunches Igt Costa Toscana

Admired as real “artworks”, among the most beautiful fine wineries of Italy, there is Petra, in Suvereto, located in Alta Maremma on the Tuscan Coast, projected by Swiss architect Mario Botta, and commissioned by Vittorio Moretti (i.e. “Mister Bellavista”), pioneering in 1997: a “wine wonder” in the double value of productive and architectonic center inspired to Bordeaux model, which is the diamond tip of great red wines by Terra Moretti Group (among the most important realities in Italian wine with wineries such as Bellavista, and Contadi Castaldi in Franciacorta, Teruzzi in San Gimignano, and Sella and Mosca in Sardinia, ed), and, which, today, is at the center of a “new vision” to “drive the evolution of wines of Bordeaux type towards an identity of Costa Toscana”, the Igt which is part of the prestigious “family” of wines of Consorzio Toscana Igt. Therefore, the brand enters into a new phase of its history as point of reference of excellence in Tuscan panorama “with an ambitious project starting from a deep valorization of the past to project Petra and Montebamboli vineyards towards the future of Tuscan viticulture in a territory, the Tuscan Coast, which is increasingly more defined by its own distinctive identity moving on technical, agronomic, and strategic basis with the aim to give continuity to a long-time period, and redefining the centrality of vineyard as “identity matrix”, as patron Vittorio Moretti with Master of Wine Andrea Lonardi who was nominated managing director and strategic advisor of Petra, explained, in the last days, in “en primeur” 2024 of the new vintages of wines, in he futuristic winery.
This new direction, shared by Vittorio Moretti, by Massimo Tuzzi, ceo of family holding, family enologist Francesca Moretti, by “Vine Master Pruners” Marco Simonit, by Andrea Lonardi, and by all the teamwork, starts from a fundamental principle: when place prevails over the model. It is not about abandoning the original vocation, but expressing it through the filter of the territory means taking into account the importance of epigenetic burden which is the memory of this place, the silent impulse that earth transmits to the plant. In the past, these wines were mainly the result of their model, strongly linked to vineyard, and to organic footprint. Today, thanks to invisible heritage of the same vineyards, and of Bordeaux vineyards, wines which are much more than place compared to model arise. More territorial, fruity, marine, vibrant balsamic wines which are capable of interpreting Bordeaux blend with Mediterranean sensitiveness”. “Petra arose as an ambitious project with a winery thought as a contemporary château - recalled Vittorio Moretti, president Terra Moretti – today, after over 25 years of work and investments, I am happy to see the original vocation of Petra confirmed, enriched with a new territorial depth. Andrea Lonardi was able to read with intelligence, and respect all what was done: from initial zoning studied with Attilio Scienza, Edoardo Costantini, and Lizio Bruno to the great work in the vineyard brought forward with Marco Simonit. This heritage represents today the solid basis to cope with an ambitious future which will bring Petra to position among the great international wineries”. In the last months, Petra team worked in a shared, cross, and structured project which involved all company areas. A three-five year project defining the guidelines of an oriented path aiming to quality, sustainability, and identity arose. Among the main aims: an attentive “Site Evaluation” of 100 hectares of vineyards with winemaking and sharpening for parcel; a stylistic evolution in the winery to valorize the drinkability and open to a Bordeaux type; a cultural focus on pedology, climatology, and plant architecture to read the landscape with greater awareness. “I arrived to Petra with two great doubts: which, here, two famous predecessors failed, and a terroir was missing”, said Lonardi referring to “a context which saw the landscape of important names without never finding a fulfilled identity. But, exactly the strength of human group and the unexpressed potential of vineyards” convinced Master of Wine “to accept the challenge”. The first action of the new course was a work of “Site Evaluation”: 54 separate microvinifications collected by parcels pinpointed thanks to the zoning carried out more than 20 years ago by professor Attilio Scienza, among the maximum experts of viticulture, Edoardo Costantini, and Lizio Bruno. A rare heritage, made still more precious from the maturation of vineyards: over 100 hectares planted between the end of the Nineties, and the first of the two-thousands, today capable of expressing an epigenetic complexity, which, as Lonardi underlines, “is worthier than rootstock, or variety”.
But, the turning point is mainly conceptual. Petra is back to be a company of three wines: Petra, Quercegobbe, and Hebo. No more lines for market, but a clear and coherent message with an identity separating from the model of Bordeaux to embrace a vision of “wine of place”, made up of authenticity and typical characteristics. Therefore, the first step was that of defining with clarity the backbone of Petra: three wines organized according to a hierarchy inspired to the tradition of Bordeaux. Hebo which represents the basis, the entrance to the direct and territorial world of Petra. Quercegobbe, the second wine, incarnates the perfect balance among structure and freshness. Petra, the first wine, the expressive peak of the project, synthesis of vision, selection and depth. This trilogy constitutes the three pillars of wine path of the winery, a project which bases its own identity on stylistic coherence, and on the valorization of “vineyards of place”. Petra extends on a territory starting from 30 meters above sea level and arrives to 400 meters above sea level, it is here that Montebamboli arises, balcony on the Tuscan Coast, place on which Terra Moretti decided to invest. Here, acid soils, galestrose and sandstone gravels, rich in minerals, are at the basis of fresh, agile and multidimensional wines. A place incarnating the adventurous instinct of Vittorio Moretti, who believed in this project (whose official lunch is forecasted for 2025, July, 10th-11th in the event “Coastal Influence”, while the exit of the first wine in September 2025, followed by the debut of new monovarietal wines in April 2026), and today contributes to the fight against the problems linked to climate change significantly.
the work in the vineyard is at the center of this transition. Marco Simonit, involved to drive the evolution of livestock forms, identified in Petra one of the uniqueness experiences in Italy. “It is not written in any viticulture book that a plant can be a rope and a guyot at the same time. What we are observing is a unique case of dynamic architecture reflecting the history and conditions of the place”. The Tuscan Coast, with its complex geology and the growing pressure of climate change, today imposes new solutions. Petra replies also on this front with an extension towards altitude: in Montebamboli, new plants capable of coping with temperature challenges of the next decades are being developed. The comparison between Petra and Montebamboli reveals net differences in terms of ventilation, evapotranspiration, and average temperatures up to 4 degrees in summer months. In parallel, one works with a stylistic evolution of wines with a progressive reduction of the implementation of wood, and a major space to Cabernet Franc in blends to increase aromatic vivacity and drinkability. “There is a theme of control of tannin – explained Lonardi – but, in the last selected vintages, an evident executive maturity is perceived, which is merit also of the work by enologist Beppe Caviola, who drove the company towards a contemporary expressiveness”.
But, the role of Petra in codifying a new style of Tuscan Coast is actualized in acting as promoter of a wider project: the brand will host the Symposium No. 2 of “Vini del Mediterraneo” - “Mediterranean Wines” in May 2026, which, after the success in Perelada, winery-symbol of Cava spagnolo, is an event reuniting the wine excellences of the regions facing on Nostrum Sea to promote the quality of Mediterranean wines, valorize their identity, and stimulate the dialogue between tradition and innovation with a very high-level scientific and cultural program, curated by an international advisory committee among thematic tastings, round table discussions, masterclasses and moments of confrontation open to professional audience with a strong attention to education, research and sustainability.
An award to the identity value of Tuscan Coast, brand which Terra Moretti Group wants to relaunch together other producers of the territory where “sea is a constant presence, visible every morning, and determining on the climate. The moment to pass a dream emerged 30 years ago on the wave of Sassicaia to an other shared awareness has arrived”.