Nittardi, Ad Astra, DOC Maremma, Italy 2018

On the boundary between the provinces of Siena and Florence, the Nittardi estate has an illustrious history dating back to the middle ages. It was originally a defensive tower known as early as 1183 by the name of “Nectar Dei” (The Nectar of the God). In the 16th century, it was owned by the artist Michelangelo who produced his own wine here. While finishing the Sistine Chapel, he sent this wine to Rome as a “genuine gift to the Pope Paolo III”. Today, in honour of that tradition, every year the first bottles of Nectar Dei, the top wine from the Maremma vineyards, are presented to the Pope.

In 1981, the property was taken over by the Frankfurt publisher and art gallerist Peter Femfert and his wife Stefania Canali, a historian from Venice. They restored the estate, replanting the vineyards and installing a modern cellar; now their son Léon Femfert is at the helm.

This ‘Super Tuscan’ wine comes from a splendid piece of land in Maremma, close to the coast in southern Tuscany, acquired in 1999, which is planted with local and international grape varietals, all farmed organically. Ad Astra comes from the Latin phrase Per Aspera Ad Astra — “a rough road leads to the stars” – which is also the motto of the RAF.

nittardi.com