Times were tough in Piemonte in the early ’90s, as the area had been challenged by a succession of less-than-stellar vintages (prior, of course, to the six-year streak that ran from ’95 to ’01).  It started Gaja thinking about terroirs outside Piemonte, particularly as he was regularly courted by admirers seeking his involvement in joint ventures. But Gaja wasn’t going to sign onto something that won cachet solely through his presence. Having galvanized Piemonte with modern techniques and illegitimate grapes, Gaja was looking for some established ground to grow on. Toscana’s Montalcino zone held the allure he was looking for, as well as what he considered a profound connection to Piemonte’s wine culture. Most significantly, an estate by the name of Pieve Santa Restituta needed someone just like him….

This was the opinion, at any rate, of Roberto Bellini, who had purchased the historic property in 1972 with his wife, Franca. Although they invested in new vineyards and cultivated those in existence, receiving favorable acknowledgments,  they believed that the full potential of the land could be realized only with the involvement of a formidable talent. There was certainly some substantive history to honor here. A group of Christians fleeing persecution had established the property in the 4th century, erecting a church— Pieve di Santa Restituta—in honor of the eponymous martyr, Santa Restituta. Documents establish that wine (specifically, red) had been produced on estate grounds as early as the 12th century.