Founded by Dino Santarelli in 1967, Casale del Giglio is situated in the Agro Pontino Valley about 50km south of Rome.

Located in the Municipality of Aprilia in the Latina province, Casale del Giglio is near the Mediterranean Sea and sits at the feet of the Apennines. Before the winery broke ground, this region was relatively unexplored as a place for viticulture in respect to other areas of Lazio and the rest of Italy. Since 1985, Dino’s son, Antonio has been following in his father’s winemaking footsteps.

He set out with Paolo Tiefenthaler, a young enologist from Trentino, on an intense research adventure to bring something back to the winery. They were inspired and guided by the models of cultivation practiced in Bordeaux, Australia and California because of their coastal locations, exactly like Casale del Giglio in the Agro Pontino Valley which benefits greatly from its proximity to the sea. Almost 60 different experimental varietals were planted, including Syrah, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon, Viognier and Petit Manseng. The goal was to find out which vines could grow best on their land.

It was a complex and risky undertaking that paid off well, and quickly. From the red varietals, Syrah and Petit Verdot, and from the white, Sauvignon, Viognier and Petit Manseng, took to the soils so well that they led to various single-variety labels and blends that have won the winery much acclaim. The winery, which today owns 180 hectares of vineyards, has received high praise in both the Italian and international markets. Its flagship label is Mater Matuta, a blend of Syrah and Petit Verdot that has a highly concentrated and austere profile of wild black fruits (blackberry, currants), complex spices and a deep ruby colour.