Earth Warrior 2023

Guerriero della Terra 2023, a powerful red wine from the estate's oldest vines

The Guerriero della Terra 2023 from Azienda Guerrieri is a cuvée of 95% Montepulciano and 5% Sangiovese, produced only in the best years from the family's oldest vines. Twelve months in French oak barrels, dark fruit and velvety tannins.

Guerriero della Terra 2023 by Azienda Guerrieri lives up to its name: a red wine that embodies the strength of the earth. Dark in color and dense in fruit, it offers a long finish that rewards both patience and a special occasion.

Only in the best years, from the oldest vines

Not every vintage becomes a Guerriero della Terra, according to Luca Guerrieri, as the cuvée is created exclusively in particularly good years from the estate's oldest vines, which have stood on the hillside overlooking the Metauro Valley for decades. Made from 95% Montepulciano and 5% Sangiovese, the grapes must possess enough power and ripeness to endure the long aging process.

After the harvest, the wine ages for twelve months in French oak barrels before resting in the bottle for another twelve months before it is even released for sale. This resting period allows the tannins to round out and the oak to integrate with the fruit rather than mask it.

The grapes come from the hills near Pesaro, where the Guerrieri family has been farming since around 1800 and has eschewed chemical fertilizers and pesticides since 2004. Only a small portion of the harvest ultimately reaches the quality required for this cuvée.

Dark fruit, balsamic notes, velvety tannins

In the glass, the Guerriero della Terra appears deep red, almost black, with aromas of ripe blackberry and plum, complemented by balsamic notes and a hint of vanilla from the barrel aging. On the palate, it is powerful, dense, and velvety, with ripe tannins and a long, spicy finish.

When paired with braised beef, game dishes, or an aged Pecorino, this red wine shows its full stature; it also holds its own effortlessly with a hearty pasta in a dark sauce. Served at 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, it reveals its rounded side, and it is best to open the bottle a little early to allow the aromas to unfold.

From our own assortment, a plate of Mezze Maniche with wild boar ragout, finished with a drizzle of ORO olive oil over the top, pairs perfectly.

The most powerful red wine from the Guerrieri family

The Guerrieri family has been farming their estate on the Metauro since around 1800, now in the 6th generation under Luca Guerrieri and his children, Alberto and Maria Giulia. Of the 207 hectares, 48 hectares are dedicated to vines, all farmed in harmony with nature.

Alongside the youthful Colli Pesaresi Sangiovese and the matured Galileo Riserva, the Guerriero della Terra is the most powerful and dense red wine in the estate's portfolio, intended for special occasions rather than everyday drinking. Anyone who has opened a bottle quickly understands why it is only produced in select vintages.

Those wishing to explore the full range of Guerrieri red wines will also find the younger Colli Pesaresi and the matured Galileo Riserva in the Azienda Guerrieri wine collection for comparison.

a red wine and its values

• Origin Italy
• Region Marche
• Appellation Marche IGT Rosso
• Winery Azienda Guerrieri
• Vintage 2023
• Grape varieties 95% Montepulciano, 5% Sangiovese
• 15% vol. alcohol