Tignanello, Solaia, Guado al Tasso and Castello della Sala are names that bring a smile to lovers of Italian wine. On a recent trip to Italy I had the privilege of visiting these legendary estates owned by the Antinori family. The family, led by their dynamic patriarch Piero Antinori, have built a wine empire that is second to none.

At 73 years young it would be easy for Mr. Antinori to kick back and enjoy his achievements, but this is not his style. In fact this trend-setting ambassador of Italian wine continues to invest heavily in the future.

Le Mortelle is one of the newest Antinori properties that is sure to take its place alongside its more famous siblings in time. Located in the heart of the lower Maremma, Le Mortelle is a huge property spread across 270 hectares, of which 160 are planted with grapevines.

To say I was impressed would be an understatement. The state of the art winery was constructed almost entirely underground. This multimillion dollar structure, built in a cylindrical shape, was designed using three levels: all of the phases of wine production take place within this structure: from receiving the grapes to vinification, to storage and aging of the wine in barriques in the basement level.

All of this in an area that is relatively unknown. I could imagine one of Mr. Antinori's accountants asking him,"Do you realize how long it will take to see a return on investment?" Given that the family has passionately worked the land in Tuscany for over 600 years, I guess they have time.

Three wines are currently produced at Le Mortelle: Vivia , a blend of vermentino, viognier and ansonica; Botrosecco, a blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc; and the top wine, Poggio alle Nane, a blend of 60% cabernet franc and 40% cabernet sauvignon. These wines have very limited availability in the US today but I'm sure with the visonary Piero Antinori at the helm you will soon find them at a store near you.

Paul Quaglini
with Brad Lewis and Alex Poreda at Le Mortelle.

Paul Quaglini, Wine Supervisor, SE Florida

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq