Near the ancient village of Suvereto, an area of majestic cork-producing oaks, on the hills of the Val di Cornia and overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea: this is the home of Petra, nestled in the spectacular nature of the Maremma region. This enchanted valley is where the Mediterranean scrub lives in happy proximity with olive groves and vineyards. Grapes, once cultivated by the Greeks and Etruscans, were almost forgotten. It was only via intuition, patience and a great deal of courage that it became possible to track down and revive a family of wines that draws variety and richness from these origins. It is natural that such an ambitious project should be embodied by a unique winery. Designed by architect Mario Botta, the building enhances the winegrowing district and fits seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, exploiting the slope of the hill to transform the grapes into wine in the most respectful way possible, becoming a symbol of past, present and future. Petra unites, rekindles and embarks upon new paths via its wine and a style that encompasses its meaning.

MEMORY OF THE PAST AND THE FORCE OF NATURE

Sun, wind and a light that has no equal. Not just one landscape but countless landscapes. Not a climate but a series of microclimates which confer character on each individual wine. Petra is a complex area that was a crossroads of people capable of enhancing the area’s two most important elements: the vines, which yield wine, and iron. There is no single type of soil here, but a succession of soils, whose heterogeneity has been studied by Attilio Scienza, via a zoning project that has identified three main types. The first is of tectonic origin: stony soils that are sometimes calcareous, organically poor and with little clay; the second, which stemmed from flooding, was formed by erosion and accumulation and is rich in manganese and metals; the third, which characterizes the lower part, is very rich in silt. The climate is also crucial. There is very little rainfall in Petra, a great deal of sun and blustering south-west winds. The precious threads of the past weave a modern tapestry. Light, gravity and ingenuity: these are the factors that ensure well-being, both for man and for wine, enabling the energy impact of the winery and its CO2 emissions to be reduced to net zero. In Petra, everything is in harmony and every single gesture aims to define a unique style, capable of embracing the forces of the terroir and transforming them into wine. The winegrowing district whispers, prompts, and points the way to achieving the most expressive result, while the vines are the actors most capable of ‘revealing’ its most intimate nature. In the winery, the sensitivity of man makes the difference and tradition is interpreted in a contemporary way, with creativity and imagination. The wines of Petra stem from all these elements and are capable of weaving all the threads of the past to create a modern tapestry.