Heritage
A house, in its own words
The Castello di Ama estate takes its name from a hamlet in Gaiole in Chianti whose documented history stretches back to Etruscan settlements in the area. Four Roman families acquired the property in 1976 with the intention of restoring both the vineyards and the medieval hamlet to productive life, an effort that would take years of careful work on land, architecture, and community. Under the guidance of Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti, the estate has grown into a recognized name in Chianti Classico, where the family continues to oversee both viticulture and the contemporary art program installed across the grounds. Beginning in 2010, Sebasti and Pallanti began a collaboration with Michele Marin of Infragranti Parfumeur, exploring whether the sensory identity of the estate could be translated into fragrance. That process took several years of research before the debut scent, Iris Mater, was released in 2014, followed by Nomen Rosae Absolue in 2018 and Helios Chrysos in 2023. The house remains rooted in the Tuscan landscape, with each fragrance tied to a specific element of place: iris fields, rose gardens, and the golden light that gives the region its character. For Castello di Ama, perfumery is an extension of agriculture, a way to capture the textures of place that already exist in the vineyards and gardens. The collaboration with Michele Marin, started in 2010, was conceived not as a licensing deal or a side venture but as a slow dialogue between estate and laboratory. Sebasti and Pallanti approached scent the way they approach wine: as something grown, observed, and refined over seasons rather than rushed to market. The brand's small catalog reflects that patience, with only three compositions released across roughly a decade. Each fragrance is tied to a botanical or atmospheric element of the estate, suggesting a curatorial rather than commercial sensibility. There is a clear sense that fragrance at Ama serves the estate's broader cultural project, which already includes contemporary art installations and architectural restoration, rather than standing as an independent luxury business.