Montepulciano

 

MYTHOLOGY

ICARIO

Icario was a farmer from Athens who met and welcomed the God Dionysus. In return Dionysus taught Icario the art of growing grapes and fermenting wine in barrels. He also gave him the task of introducing the culture of wine among mankind. As Icario did, today the team of Icario winery aims to spread all over the world the history of our noble wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. It is a long culture which started in the 7th century. The winery logo, a Pegasus with a newt’s tail, derives from an Etruscan bas-relief found in the historical centre of Montepulciano.

Ownership

From 2015 Icario is part of the Dr.Helmut Rothenberger Holding in Salzburg/Austria and since then has enjoyed substantial investments to outstand in class and excellence.

“Every time I spend a few days in Tuscany I enjoy the peace, the relaxing atmosphere and the nature with its stunning colors, the warmth and friendship of the people of Montepulciano and the Icario Team. We, as a family business, are driven by values like honesty, responsibility, innovation and reliability and we take great pride in excelling; we love to drink it and to share it with our friends as the sun goes down behind the gentle hills that surround us in one of the most beautiful areas in the world”

Dr. Rothenberger Helmut – Estate owner"

 

ROTHENBERGER FAMILY BUSINESS

more information

Winemaker

Together with our esteemed winemaker, Dr. Franco Bernabei, internationally renowned as 'the patron of Sangiovese' for his lifelong dedication to the grape, we are deeply committed to crafting wines that not only reflect the unique character of our exceptional terroir but also embody the harmonious nuances of Sangiovese in all its expressions. With over four decades of expertise, Bernabei has played a pivotal role in elevating Italian wines on the global stage. Our wines are a true testament to his visionary approach, blending tradition with innovation, and the unwavering passion and dedication of the entire Icario Team.

FRANCO AND MATTEO BERNABEI PROJECT

more information

Icario Logo

Our winery logo, featuring a Pegasus carved on a Renaissance palazzo in Montepulciano, symbolizes creativity, freedom, and the harmony between nature and art—core values that define both the Renaissance and the art of winemaking. In mythology, Pegasus is the embodiment of inspiration and the link between the heavens and the earth, much like wine represents the perfect balance between the vineyard and the winemaker's skill. This powerful symbol connects our passion for crafting exceptional wines with the rich cultural heritage of the region, reflecting both tradition and innovation in every bottle we produce.

more information

Heritage

Icario is in Montepulciano, a small village in a corner of Tuscany that still maintains an authentic nature and uncontaminated beauty. As a centre for art, music and full of history, Montepulciano is also one of the oldest areas for winemaking. Several documents, starting from 789 (a legacy of the cleric Arnipert) underline the suitable nature of Montepulciano area for the production of important red wines. Is, in fact, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano in 1980 named to be the very first DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita – Designation of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin).

more information

Vineyards

The estate extends for a total of 56 hectares, 27 of which entirely meant for the production of wine. Our vineyard is arranged as an amphitheater with a unique microclimate. The vineyard is divided into two macro areas: The highest part (400 - 450 meters) characterized from the presence of tuff and sand The lowest part (300 meters) with a richer percentage of clays. Tuff and sand are optimal for enhance the finesse and elegance of the wine, while the land in greater presence of clay enriches the wine with structure and body.

CHECK THE MAP OF OUR VINEYARD

more information

Sustainability

The health of our vines is among our priorities. To achieve this goal, we allow agronomic techniques useful in reducing the use of phytosanitary treatments which, if needed, are always natural ones (copper, sulfur and natural biotechnologies). Our philosophy is an eco-friendly strategy against all parasites, we have never used herbicides or insecticides. In this way we ensure our vines a strong ability to withstand environmental stresses. Every day the Icario team manages our grapes and vines with extreme care and dedication to avoid excessive stress and, as a result, we aim to produce wines with a fruity, solid, round flavor, characterized by a remarkable persistence. 

 

CERTIFICATION

more information

THE ICARIO SUN PROJECT

INTEGRATION

Since September 2021, together with “Cooperativa sociale L’arca” and Tools for life foundation, owned by the Rothenberger Family, we support with great dedication and pride a project named “ICARIO’S SUN”. It’s an educational path for integration which involves children and young people with disabilities in different laboratories. Like grapes need warmth to grow healthy and become great wines, so every person needs to be trusted and pushed to acquire new challenges.

The project aims exactly at this, Educators and volunteers pay much attention on how to enhance skills and positive attitudes of every member. In order to realize that, it’s very important to find different contexts to connect to the world and gain experience, in a natural and organized way.

Read more

Loading...