Famiglia Cotarella
Famiglia Cotarella spans three generations of passionate Italian grape growers and winemakers specializing in the regions and varieties of Central Italy.
Today, this pioneering family is known throughout the world for exquisite expressions of Merlot alongside other high-quality wines that convey a true sense of place across Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany.
A multi-generational winemaking family, Famiglia Cotarella’s legacy began nearly a century ago in the small village of Monterubiaglio, Umbria. Here, in 1920, brothers Antonio and Domenico Cotarella began as grape growers. The second generation, Renzo and Riccardo, built their careers side by side, united by a shared sense of family responsibility to carry their father Domenico’s legacy forward, even as their paths took different forms.
Riccardo became one of Italy’s most influential winemakers, known for his intuitive, hands‑on approach and for consulting for dozens of wineries across Italy. Renzo trained in viticulture and enology, and spent decades at Antinori helping shape a vineyard‑driven, estate‑focused philosophy in Italy and abroad. Together, the brothers brought those complementary perspectives to the family estate originally known as Falesco, where creativity and discipline meet.
Today, the legacy they built continues under the Famiglia Cotarella name, with the next generation – their daughters Dominga, Marta, and Enrica – now part of the family story.
In 2017, Dominga, Marta and Enrica, daughters of Riccardo and Renzo Cotarella, officially assumed leadership of their family business. The third generation, lovingly referred to as the ‘Cotarella sisters,’ were raised together under one roof and share the values of the generation that preceded them – courage, curiosity, and culture. Today, Marta serves as CEO, Dominga as President, and Enrica as Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Hospitality.
With a devotion to family, legacy, and their native land, the Cotarella sisters rebranded the flagship Falesco estate to instead bear the family name, Famiglia Cotarella, showcasing their pride in the achievements of generations past and their commitment to building a future for those to come.
In the fashion of a true family business, Dominga and Martas’ husbands are also involved in the operation of Famiglia Cotarella. The former, Pier Paolo Chiasso, serves as winemaker while the later, Paulo Carvahlo, is the export sales manager.
As winemaker, Pier Paolo Chiasso extends an unrelenting pursuit of quality to the winemaking process vintage after vintage. A native of Central Italy, Pier Paolo grew up in a small town near Orvieto and holds a degree in winemaking from Conegliano Veneto Oenological School. In 1998, he began at Famiglia Cotarella as production director and rapidly ascended to his current role. Pier Paolo takes seriously his responsibility of upholding the quality and legacy of the Famiglia Cotarella wines.
A Powerhouse of Central Italy
Rooted in the culture of Central Italy, the Cotarella family’s estates span Umbria, Lazio, and Tuscany. This area was given the name Tuscia after the end of the Etruscan rule 27 BC. A rather vast region located in the heart of Italy, it once included Tuscany, western Umbria and northern Lazio.
With estates located across this area, Famiglia Cotarella is an authority on Central Italian winemaking, culture, and history. Embodying a commitment to each other, the land, and their legacy, Famiglia Cotarella is a model for Italian winemaking families and family-operated businesses everywhere.
The Famiglia Cotarella’s winemaking legacy began in the village of Montefiascone within the state of Lazio, which was once the center of the Roman Empire and one of Italy’s oldest wine producing regions. With their historical Falesco estate located in neighboring Montecchio, Umbria, the family’s focus today lies on two flagship Merlot offerings – Montiano and Sodale – crafted from grapes grown in northern Lazio.
Based on the selection process performed on the grapes, the family decides which will be allocated to the production of Montiano and which to Sodale. For both wines, hand-harvested grapes are macerated on the skins with frequent gentle punch-downs, followed by a careful aging regimen.
In 2017, the Cotarella family purchased the boutique Tuscan estate Le Macioche. This beautiful property located in the heart of the Montalcino winemaking zone boasts 20 acres of vine, 8.5 of which are dedicated to Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, 2.5 to Rosso di Montalcino DOCG. All grapes are estate-grown and organically in accordance with ICEA protocols. With an obsession over quality and a passion for storied winemaking regions such as Montalcino, Le Macioche was a dream come true for this dynamic Italian winemaking family.
Famiglia Cotarella Wine
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Vitiano Bianco
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Vitiano Rosso
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Sodale
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Montiano
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La Macioche
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