New sales director for Chianti winery

Castello di Meleto, a winery located in Gaiole in Chianti, has taken on Michele Contartese as sales director.

Class of 1977, Michele graduated in Economics from Turin. After a brief period spent in Ireland, he began his working career at Distilleria Caffo as junior export manager. His passion for wine followed close behind, and in 2006, he took on the role of sales director for the agricultural firm Testamatta of Fiesole. His passion for wine led to a partnership with the winery Ripanuda, located in Chianti Classico territory.

In 2012, his interest and economics background brought him to Indie Wines, a marketing platform for small Italian wineries. Michele remained passionate for wine and the Chianti territory up until the day he first became part of Castello di Meleto.

“When I first met with Castello di Meleto, they proposed the role of sales director to me,” says Michele Contartese, “and I immediately and enthusiastically accepted. I have a great respect for the winery and for its long history. At the same time, it’s an exciting challenge from several points of view, first of all for the role that it holds on the market. Castello di Meleto’s wine is a symbol of high quality winemaking and the desire to represent the best of a territory that is known throughout the world. The other aspect that I find so appealing is the winery’s versatility. It’s not just a winery, but also a farm, an agriturismo, and a restaurant. Castello di Meleto represents enormous potential that can be valorized and developed on the commercial level in Italy as much as it can be internationally.”

Michele Contartese joins the team of professionals that supports the property’s management under the direction of president Guido Guardigli. It is a young but highly qualified group that includes the abilities of Francesco Montalbano (managing director), Matteo Menicacci (enologist), Marco Panichi (director of tourism), Giovanni Maria Farina (agronomist), and Medina Redzic (sales assistant).

“For the first time, I look to the future of Castello di Meleto with optimism,” says Guido Guardigli. “It has been four years since the hiring of the offices of administrators and president in November 2011. Now, I am certain that our staff of collaborators with act with enthusiasm and employ its strengths and abilities to use all networks between the various company sectors – from agricultural to enological and touristic – to give the tools necessary to become the next great 'awakening' of Chianti.”

26 October 2015 - Rebecca Sterritt Paragraph Publishing, content manager