Ah, the mercurial Giampolo Motta! To say that he embraces life fully would be somewhat of an understatement…the enthusiasm is utterly infectious, and impossible to resist. Never have we been more pleased to have been sucked in so comprehensively, shipping on our very first day of trading as a company.

Giampaolo could have taken an easy route in life: born into a wealthy Neapolitan family of fur and leather tanners, his path was laid out before him. But he got bitten by the wine bug, and in 1991, he managed to cobble together enough cash to buy the La Massa estate in Panzano, Chianti’s heartland (the Conca d’Oro, ‘golden basin’), with his first vintage coming the following year. Needless to say, the family were deeply unimpressed at this change of tack. No matter, Giampaolo pushed on, determined to make wine that challenged the very best in the world (he loves the great clarets of Bordeaux’s right bank). He is irrepressible!