Emanuele Graetz inspecting grapes in his vineyards at Isola delle Falcole winery in Chianti, Tuscany
As the founder of Isola delle Falcole and Viteoak Wine Selection, Emanuele Graetz is quickly making a name for himself as a passionate advocate for terroir and visionary entrepreneur with a deep respect for tradition.
In 2016, with partners Alessandro Mannelli (cellar master) and Niccolò Righini (vineyard manager), Graetz created Isola delle Falcole, which harbours 4.6 hectares of estate vineyards in Greve in Chianti, on the border between the villages of Panzano and Montefioralle.
Isola delle Falcole’s vineyards are in Greve in Chianti, between the villages of Panzano and Montefioralle.
Additionally, through his company Viteoak Wine Selection, Graetz collaborates with high-calibre Italian wineries and French Champagne producers, offering them tailored commercial strategies to establish and enhance their presence in North American markets.
Decanter caught up with Graetz while he was on the wine trail in California:
What inspired the founding Isola delle Falcole in Chianti Classico? And what unique characteristics do the vineyards’ high elevations contribute to your wines?
Emanuele Graetz (EG): The inspiration came from Burgundy, Champagne, and Piedmont, where growers truly cultivate their land with the goal of capturing its unique characteristics in each bottle. It’s not a business or entrepreneurial endeavour—it’s a work of passion and dedication, rooted in a deep respect for the land we love.
Our vines are planted at 520 metres on south-east exposure in galestro soils. The elevation helps maintain freshness, acidity, and aromatic intensity in our wines. Frost is rare at higher elevations due to the lack of humidity, and the risk of mildew—common during the intense summer showers we’ve started experiencing in our region—is significantly reduced.
Emanuele Graetz’s focus is on investing in quality and showcasing terroir.
You make IGT Toscana blends and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG wines. How do these categories reflect the versatility of your estate and your ambitions for Sangiovese?
EG: While we produce IGT wines (largely due to bureaucratic constraints), I am deeply committed to and supportive of our DOCG appellation. I hope to eventually add a Chianti Classico Annata to our portfolio. However, for now, Gran Selezione is my main focus. It is the tool that can protect small growers from large corporations, giving us the opportunity to invest in quality and showcase our true terroir—something wine lovers value and are willing to pay for. For me, Gran Selezione is central to both my personal vision and the future of Chianti Classico.
As the founder of Viteoak Wine Selection, how do you curate wines for export, and could you share insights into standout labels in your portfolio?
EG: At Viteoak, our focus is on supporting growers and their philosophies, not simply trading wines with commercial appeal. Our portfolio blends established names with emerging talents. We’re proud to support iconic producers in the world’s most important wine market, like Roberto Voerzio in La Morra and Jacopo Biondi Santi Castello di Montepò in Toscana, while also championing small, lesser-known growers, like Il Molino di Grace in Toscana and Giusti Wine from Veneto, whose exceptional quality deserves recognition. These growers, often overlooked, now thrive because of the faith and energy we invest in them.
Discover a full list of Viteoak growers here.
A selection of Graetz’s wines currently making a splash in the US market
Piedmont
Agricola Molino, Teorema, Barbaresco 2021
94pts
Founded in 1991 by Virginio Molino, the winery is located in Treiso and owns approximately 14 hectares of vineyards. Today, Marco Molino helms the cellar and vineyards. Beautifully expressive cherry fruit, graphite, liquorice, sandalwood, and pressed flowers. A wonderfully focused and linear red with taut tannins and crunchy, citrusy…
Source : https://www.decanter.com/sponsored/emanuele-graetz-championing-high-calibre-wines-551267/
