When the late Italo Zingarelli, a successful film producer best known for his popular spaghetti westerns, bought Rocca delle Maće (pronounced ROH-kah DELL-eh mah-CHEE-ah) in Tuscany's Chianti Classico district back in 1973, he embarked on a new career as one of Tuscany's more unlikely wine producers.

Working closely with his son Sergio, Zingarelli set about restoring the property that Sergio together with his wife Daniela, and their two children now call home. Then a tumbled down 14th-century farmstead near the village of Castellina in Chianti, it was surrounded by acres of neglected vines. Vineyards were replanted from scratch; further property, the nearby Sant'Alfonso estate, was acquired, and a state-of-the-art cellar built and installed with the latest winemaking equipment. The Zingarellis left nothing to chance in their quest to create a stellar Tuscan wine estate.

Quality is a priority at Rocca delle Maće. Organic fertilization, careful pruning, the introduction of small oak barriques for aging, and harvesting by hand are just some of the practices Sergio and his father instituted at the estate.. Rocca delle Macie is an active member of the Chianti Classico growers' consortium, which takes the black rooster as its symbol.

By 1978, Rocca delle Maće had become one of the best-selling Chianti Classicos in Italy and began to export its wines. Today Rocca delle Maće wines are available in 41 countries worldwide.