A Visit To Fattoria Uccelliera (The"Birdhouse") in Colline Pisane

The Colline Pisane Wine Trail (Pisan Hills) is a picturesque region of vineyards and olive groves south of Pisa. It was here that we visited Fattoria Uccelliera, a hidden gem of a winery and agritourism located in Crespina Lorenzana forty kilometers west of Florence. Antonio Bullieri and Maria Elena Poggianti acquired Uccelliera’s land in the 1960s. The property is 200 hectares and roughly 200 meters above sea level surrounded by dense forests, vineyards, and olive groves. Fattoria Uccelliera has a production of 70,000 bottles including wines from both the Colline Pisane DOC and Chianti DOCG appellations.

Aerial view of Fattoria Uccelliera. (Winery website photo)

Today the estate is overseen Antonio and Maria Elena’s daughter, Tiziana Bullieri and her husband Ezio. Uccelliera means “birdhouse,” and this visual can be found frequently in the wine estate’s labels and other appointments. Tiziana’s daughter works in fashion and design and is developing some chic items for the winery gift shop.

Tiziana hosted our tour of the property and cantina. Here are the wines we tasted:

Ficaia Pinot Bianco 2025 13% abv with hints of lemon, Asian pear, white flowers. Named for nearby fig vineyards.

Nero in Bianco 2024 IGT. Made from 100% Sangiovese Bianco aged in steel. Free-run juice and no skin contact. Very slightly pale pink hue in this delicate white wine. Lemon chiffon notes in palate.

La Prima Volta 2025 Rosato. 50-50 Sangiovese and Cannaiolo. Benedetta, Titiana’s fashion designer daughter, designed the award-winning label, a stylized drawing of a man kissing a woman’s neck, when she was 16. Apricot-white peach color and apricot yellow peach flavors.

Ginepraia 2023 IGT Toscana. 70 Sangiovese, 30 Petit Verdot. Ginepraia means “juniper”. A lovely wine with notes of Dark berries, cedar and tobacco. With a rich mouthfeel from the Petit Verdot component in the blend. Aged only in steel tank for six months.

Poggio alla Pietra 2024 is a Governo alla uso Toscano red. 80% Sangiovese, 20% Alicante Bouschet. Earthy (moss), dark berries, dark bitter chocolate cake, with good acidity.

Governo alla uso Toscano is winemaking process dating to the fourteenth century in Tuscany, at the time used complete fermentation and stabilize the wine. The process is an appassimento; air dried grape must is added to the finished wine to trigger a secondary fermentation that softens tannins and enhances the wine’s aromatic profile and longevity. The process was nearly extinct by the twentieth century as winemaking in the Chianti and Chianti Classico regions became modernized and codified. The governo process is still used by some artisan wine producers as in the case of Fattoria Uccelliera.

Ginepraia Botte # 7 2021. Made from the best lots of Sangiovese 70% and Petit Verdot 30%. Vinified separately in one single tank and then aged six months in French oak. Intense, perfumed nose. Dark black and red berries on the palate. 2000 bottles produced.

FU 3 Raggiungerti Adesso 2022, Terre di Pisa. The name means “Reach for you soon” and is a new wine conceived for daughter’s “wedding collection” fashion design label as an ode to her grandfather whom she adored. 100% Sangiovese, aged one year in tonneau. 1300 bottles produced.

Castellaccio 2019 IGT Made from 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon with both lots vinified separately. Aged one year in small in barrique. This is the winery’s Super Tuscan.