WELCOME TO VILLA SANTO STEFANO
What sets us apart is our love for Tuscany and our passion in producing the very best this region has to offer: wine and extra virgin olive oil. It all began in 2001 when Wolfgang Reitzle purchased Villa Bertolli, set in the gentle, rolling hills around Lucca, with a few olive groves and a vineyard about a hectare in size.
RESTORED WITH LOVE
Renovated down to the smallest detail, the property meets all the requirements for producing the highest quality wine and olive oil. The vines, in particular, reach an especially high quality for the Lucca region
LAND WITH A LONG TRADITION
Following the transfer of the Bertolli family’s namesake brand to Unilever, Mr Reitzle and Ms. Ruge renamed the villa in honour of the nearby picturesque 9th century church. And so Villa Santo Stefano was born. Later the winery would produce around 60,000 bottles of organic wine and around 1,500 litres of top quality, organic, DOP (protected origin) olive oil from almost 7 hectares of farmland in Lucca and a further 11 hectares in the Maremma .
VILLA SANTO STEFANO IN LUCCA
It all began in 2002 with about a hectare of vineyard in Pieve Santo Stefano, close to Lucca. Wolfgang Reitzle was inspired by this ancient farmland with its huge potential for producing quality wines and top quality, extra virgin, DOP (protected origin) olive oil. Moving forward, he committed to implementing environmental and organic methods of cultivation in order to protect the area’s natural resources. Today, the winery extends over almost 7 hectares of land at Arsina and Pieve Santo Stefano, both in Lucca.
VILLA SANTO STEFANO IN THE MAREMMA
We searched for years. Wofgang Reitzle’s vision was crystal clear: he wanted an area by the sea, very rich in minerals, with excellent soil composition and a perfect balance of soil and microclimate.
We searched for years. Wofgang Reitzle’s vision was crystal clear: he wanted an area by the sea, very rich in minerals, with excellent soil composition and a perfect balance of soil and microclimate. We found 11 hectares of organic vines near Manciano, south of Grosseto. These vineyards had been neglected for a number of years, but with a lot of work, feeding and caring for the vines, we finally succeeded in achieving our dream: in 2022 we bottled the first vintage of 100% Cabernet Franc. As well as Cabernet Franc we also have Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese. This part of the Maremma has been inhabited since Neolithic times. After that it belonged to the famous Aldobrandeschi family, then passed through inheritance to the Conti Orsini of Rome, until in the 16th Century it was conquered by Cosimo De’ Medici for its strategic position. It was from that point that farming began in the area.
The famous Saturnia Hot Springs, the oldest in Tuscany, are very close by. Hot sulphur springs have flowed here for over 3000 years and can reach a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. Saturnia - known as Aurina in ancient times - was probably the first city of the Etruscans, the original inhabitants of Tuscany. And we are right here, in this historic and magical place between Manciano and Capalbio.
To discover more about the history of our vineyards and olive groves, the agrarian tradition and the history of the region, or to find out what’s happening at the winery, visit our website!
For more information please hover over the team members
Dr. Petra Pforr
Marketing und Events
Giovanni Ruberti
Unser Gärtner
Liger Beqiri
Vorarbeiter
Alessio Farnesi
Unser Weinkellermeister
Alessandro Garzi
Agronom
Nicoletta Gheorghe
Haushaltshilfe
Nina Ruge
Wolfgang Reitzle
Nadia Dridi
Unsere Köchin und die Seele des Hauses
Victoria Cowie
Hausmeisterin
Ram Sandhu
Gärtner
Mauro Vittorio Pardi
Vorarbeiter
Ladimir Paja
“When you make your own wine, only the first hundred years are really difficult.”
Wolfgang Reitzle
Besitzer
“This place is a jewel for me. Villa Santo Stefano brings me joy for life, love and gratitude.”
Nina Ruge
Writer, Moderator, Journalist.
Alessandro studied at Pisa University, one of the oldest and most famous schools of agricultural science. His passion for and deep understanding of agriculture has guaranteed our production of high-quality wine and oil for more than 5 years.
Alessandro Garzi
Administrator, Agronomist
Alessio studied at Pisa University and then worked for several years in Piermont for La Spinetta before coming to Villa Santo Stefano in 2013. His great passion for wine makes this more than just a job.
Alessio Farnesi
Oenologist
A tourism entrepreneur, specialising in gastronomic and enotourism, Petra has been with us since the beginning. Currently she manages marketing, sales and event planning. She knows Italy very well and also has an extended business network abroad.
Dr. Petra Pforr
Marketing, Sales, Events
A well-known Tuscan oenologist, Attilio’s goal is “to make good wine” by which he means exceptionally good wine. He is our external consultant and provides support in the cellar processing phase over the whole year.
Attilio Pagli
Oenologist
Our Animals are on the Team Too! For decades, Nina Ruge has been dedicated to animal welfare all over the world and, thanks to her, many animals have found a new home here at Villa Santo Stefano. Every winery needs animals:
“Every evening, before sunset, I take a walk around Villa Santo Stefano to see my animals.”
Nina Ruge
