Italy · Tuscany

Fattoria Le Pupille

Fattoria Le Pupille is the benchmark estate of Maremma, founded by Elisabetta Geppetti in the early 1980s on the Morellino di Scansano appellation in southern Tuscany. The estate is best known for Saffredi, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Petit Verdot blend that first appeared in 1987 and quickly established itself as one of Italy's great Super Tuscans. Saffredi accounts for the vast majority of auction activity, with 189 lots traded at an average of $96, and the 2004 vintage is the most-traded on the market. Prices for Saffredi top bottles have reached $1,076 at auction, reflecting demand for landmark years like 2001, 2004, and 2011. The estate also produces Morellino di Scansano under the Poggio Valente single-vineyard label and a standard Riserva, though neither commands the secondary-market premiums of Saffredi. Geppetti, working with consultant Stefano Chioccioli until the 2000s, pioneered international varietals in a region dominated by Sangiovese. The wines are aged in a mix of French barriques and larger Slavonian oak, producing a polished, internationally legible style that has resonated strongly with American collectors. The 1984 Riserva—the oldest wine in the auction database—demonstrates the estate's longevity, though modern attention centers squarely on Saffredi verticals.