ISOLE E OLENA

Isole e Olena is a highly respected Tuscan estate in the Chianti Classico zone, located between the villages of Barberino Val d’Elsa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. The property takes its name from two neighbouring hamlets—Isole and Olena—that were combined in the 1950s.

Its modern reputation was built by Paolo De Marchi, who took over from his family in 1976. Trained as both a winemaker and viticulturist, De Marchi was instrumental in moving the estate from producing bulk wine to crafting some of the most refined and ageworthy Sangiovese-based wines in Tuscany. He retired in 2022 after selling the estate to the EPI Group (owners of Biondi-Santi), but his influence still defines its style.

The vineyards sit at elevations between 350 and 490 metres, on rocky, well-drained soils of galestro and alberese. The climate’s warm days and cool nights help produce grapes with both ripeness and acidity—a hallmark of Isole e Olena’s balance.