Case Basse di Gianfranco Soldera
Visionary Estate in Montalcino: Founded in 1972 by Gianfranco Soldera, Case Basse is a pioneering winery known for redefining what Sangiovese can be.
Pure, Uncompromising Philosophy: Organically farmed, surrounded by biodiversity, and vinified with zero manipulation, nature leads, the winemaker follows.
Wines Beyond Brunello: Released as Toscana IGT since 2006, Soldera’s wines stand apart from the DOCG, offering profound, age-worthy expressions of place and vintage.
A Legacy of Rarity and Reverence: Now run by Soldera’s family, Case Basse continues to produce some of Italy’s most sought-after and intellectually profound wines.
Case Basse – The Singular Vision of Gianfranco Soldera
Few names in Italian wine inspire the kind of reverence and debate as Soldera. Nestled in the southwestern hills of Montalcino, the estate known as Case Basse is not just a winery, it is the living expression of one man’s uncompromising vision. Founded in 1972 by Gianfranco Soldera and his wife Graziella, Case Basse has become a global reference point for purity, longevity, and the intellectual potential of Sangiovese.
When Soldera acquired the abandoned property outside Montalcino, he set out to do something entirely different. Drawing from his background in science and deep study of natural ecosystems, he created a self-sustaining estate where biodiversity, balance, and minimal intervention would define every aspect of viticulture. From the very beginning, Soldera believed that great wine is made in the vineyard, not the cellar, and he meticulously designed Case Basse to prove it.
The estate is farmed without chemicals, and its vineyards, planted exclusively to Sangiovese, are surrounded by wild gardens, trees, and natural life. The emphasis is on harmony with nature, allowing the vines to express their full potential without manipulation. In the cellar, the approach is equally minimal: spontaneous fermentations, long macerations, no temperature control, no filtration, and aging in large Slavonian oak botti. Every choice is made to preserve the integrity of the grape and the vintage.
The wines are labeled simply as Toscana IGT, a deliberate decision after Soldera split from the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG in 2006, distancing himself from what he saw as the growing industrialization of the appellation. But make no mistake: these are among the most profound Sangiovese wines in the world. They are intensely aromatic, hauntingly pure, and capable of evolving for decades.
After Gianfranco’s sudden passing in 2019, the estate passed into the hands of his children, who continue his work with the same intensity and philosophical clarity. The wines remain rare and fiercely sought-after, produced in tiny quantities and released only when they are ready.
Case Basse is not about following trends or even pleasing the market. It is about the pursuit of beauty, truth, and nature through wine. In a world of noise, Soldera's wines speak in quiet, uncompromising resonance, wines of time, place, and vision.