A Rebellious Signature
Cantina Sassopra is one of Italy's most distinctive and geographically ambitious natural wine projects — a family winery led by Marta and Federico Des Dorides that spans two of the country's most iconic wine regions. Originally from Frascati, the historic wine town in the hills southeast of Rome, the couple launched Sassopra with an almost rebellious mission: to restore dignity to the Frascati denomination, which had been denigrated over the last 50 years by industrial production and loss of identity. But their hearts also belonged to Val d'Orcia — the wild, uncontaminated, southernmost corner of Tuscany, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of cypress-lined hills, medieval villages, and ancient vineyards. There, they built their cellar and began recovering some of the oldest vineyards in Tuscany. Today, they produce 8 wines — both from Frascati and from Tuscany — all cared for in Val d'Orcia, where they live. They also started recovering old olive groves, producing organic olive oil alongside their wines. The wines are handcrafted with native yeasts, minimal sulfur, and a deep respect for the volcanic soils of Frascati and the ancient terroirs of Val d'Orcia. The result is a range of distinctive, characterful wines that carry the rebellious spirit of their makers and the profound sense of place that only true nomads can discover.
Frascati Roots, Val d'Orcia Dreams
Marta and Federico Des Dorides are originally from Frascati — the historic wine town in the Castelli Romani hills southeast of Rome, famous since antiquity for its white wines. But they are also nomads at heart, with a deep love for Val d'Orcia — the wild, uncontaminated southernmost corner of Tuscany, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of cypress-lined hills, medieval villages, and ancient vineyards. This dual identity — Frascati by birth, Val d'Orcia by choice — defines everything about Sassopra [^248^][^255^].
Their journey began with a rebellious impulse: to put their signature on a Frascati denomination that had been denigrated in the last 50 years by industrial production, loss of identity, and the homogenisation that plagues so many historic Italian wine regions. They wanted to restore dignity to Frascati's name by making wines that honoured the region's volcanic soils and ancient varieties — Trebbiano, Malvasia, Sangiovese — but with a natural wine philosophy that was radical for the area [^248^][^255^].
At the same time, a part of their heart was in Val d'Orcia, where they decided to build their cellar and recover some of the oldest vineyards in Tuscany. This nomadism — working across two regions, two terroirs, two identities — has now reached an end in the sense that they have found their home in Val d'Orcia, but the spirit of movement and discovery remains at the core of Sassopra. Today, they produce 8 wines, all cared for in their Val d'Orcia cellar, from grapes grown in both Frascati and Tuscany [^255^].
"Sassopra is a family winery and perhaps the most peculiar thing about our experience was a nomadism that has now reached an end."
— Marta & Federico Des Dorides
Volcanic Frascati & Ancient Val d'Orcia
Sassopra's vineyards span two distinct and extraordinary terroirs. In Frascati, the vines grow on volcanic soils — the legacy of ancient eruptions from the Alban Hills that created the Castelli Romani landscape. This volcanic bedrock gives the wines a distinctive mineral character, a smoky savouriness, and a freshness that is rare in central Italy. The Frascati vineyards are planted to Trebbiano and Malvasia — the classic white varieties of the region — plus Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo for reds [^248^][^251^].
In Val d'Orcia, the terroir is completely different — clay and limestone soils, high altitude, and a wild, uncontaminated landscape that has changed little since the Renaissance. Here, Marta and Federico recovered some of the oldest vineyards in Tuscany, vines that had been abandoned or forgotten, and brought them back to life through organic farming and patient care. The Val d'Orcia vineyards produce wines of extraordinary depth and character, with a rustic elegance that speaks of ancient tradition [^255^].
All vineyards are farmed organically, without synthetic chemicals, and with a focus on biodiversity and soil health. The couple also began recovering old olive groves in Val d'Orcia, producing organic olive oil alongside their wines — a testament to their commitment to the land and to the polyculture that defines traditional Mediterranean agriculture. The cellar, where all 8 wines are made, is located in Val d'Orcia — the southernmost point of Tuscany, truly off the beaten path [^255^].
The historic wine town in the Castelli Romani hills, famous since antiquity for its white wines. Volcanic soils from ancient Alban Hills eruptions give distinctive mineral character, smoky savouriness, and freshness. Home to Trebbiano, Malvasia, Sangiovese, and Ciliegiolo. A region that had lost its identity to industrial production — Sassopra's mission is to restore its dignity.
The southernmost corner of Tuscany, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of cypress-lined hills and medieval villages. Clay and limestone soils, high altitude, wild and uncontaminated. Home to the Sassopra cellar and some of the oldest recovered vineyards in Tuscany. A place that has changed little since the Renaissance — the perfect setting for natural winemaking.
In Val d'Orcia, Marta and Federico recovered vineyards that had been abandoned or forgotten — some of the oldest in Tuscany. Through organic farming, patient care, and a refusal to industrialise, they have brought these ancient vines back to life. The old vines produce grapes of extraordinary concentration and character, with a depth that young vines cannot replicate.
The couple's commitment to the land extends beyond wine. They have begun recovering old olive groves in Val d'Orcia, producing organic olive oil alongside their wines. This polyculture — vines, olives, and the wild landscape — is the foundation of their philosophy. The olive oil, like the wine, is made with minimal intervention and maximum respect for tradition.
Handcrafted, Native Yeast & Minimal Sulfur
In the cellar, Marta and Federico follow a natural winemaking philosophy that is still radical in both Frascati and Val d'Orcia. All fermentations are spontaneous with indigenous yeasts — no selected yeasts, no enzymes, no additives. The wines are made with minimal sulfur, and many cuvées see none at all. The approach is hands-on and intuitive: tasting constantly, responding to the vintage, and trusting the material rather than forcing it into a predetermined shape [^248^][^252^].
The whites are made in a range of styles — from fresh and direct-pressed to skin-macerated and textural. The Trebbiano and Malvasia from Frascati are often treated to semi-carbonic maceration or extended skin contact, producing wines of unusual complexity and tannic structure. The reds — Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo — are handled with gentle extraction, preserving the varieties' natural aromatics and the volcanic or clay-limestone minerality of their respective terroirs [^243^][^252^].
The result is wines that are distinctive and characterful — not polished or homogenised, but alive with the specific energy of their place. The volcanic whites carry a smoky, saline edge that is unmistakably Frascati. The Val d'Orcia reds have a rustic elegance and depth that speaks of ancient tradition. And the pét-nats and frizzantes — made from Trebbiano and Malvasia — are joyful, energetic expressions of the couple's playful side [^245^][^260^].
Rebellious, Restorative & Characterful
Sassopra's mission is not just to make good wine; it is to restore dignity to a denigrated denomination and to prove that natural winemaking can thrive in regions where it is still rare. Frascati had become synonymous with industrial, characterless white wine — the kind of generic product that gives Italian wine a bad name. Marta and Federico's rebellion is to make Frascati wines that are the opposite: volcanic, mineral, textural, and alive. Their Mannaro Bianco — an orange wine from prolonged maceration — is "surprisingly delicate, with very soft tannins," notes of yellow apple, unripe peach, white flowers, and beeswax. Their Neboski — a red blend of Ciliegiolo and Sangiovese with carbonic maceration — is approachable, juicy, and unmistakably volcanic. These are not wines for the conventional drinker; they are wines for the curious, the adventurous, and those who believe that wine should express place, not process.
Heart & Soul of Sassopra
Marta and Federico Des Dorides have quickly established Sassopra as one of Italy's most distinctive natural wine projects. Their wines are exported internationally — to the US, UK, and across Europe — and served in essential natural wine bars and restaurants. The combination of their Frascati roots, their Val d'Orcia cellar, and their rebellious philosophy gives them a unique position in the Italian natural wine landscape [^248^][^246^].
What sets them apart is their dual identity and their refusal to be categorised. They are not Frascati producers or Tuscan producers; they are both, and neither. They make white wines and red wines, still wines and sparkling wines, conventional-looking wines and wildly experimental ones. This versatility is not confusion; it is confidence — the confidence of nomads who have found their home but kept their curiosity [^255^].
The future is focused on continuing to restore their old vineyards in Val d'Orcia, expanding their organic olive oil production, and refining their cellar work. Each vintage brings new experiments — different vessels, different maceration lengths, different blending combinations. As they say themselves, they are the "heart and soul of Sassopra" — a project that is personal, familial, and deeply connected to the land they tend [^255^].
"Marta and Federico heart and soul of Sassopra."
— Raisin
The Cantina Sassopra Range
All wines are farmed organically, hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and made with minimal sulfur. The range spans 8 wines from two regions — Frascati (Lazio) and Val d'Orcia (Tuscany) — covering whites, reds, orange wines, and sparkling wines. Production is small-scale and limited, with each cuvée reflecting the specific terroir, vintage, and the couple's experimental spirit [^248^][^254^].