A world-renowned “wine coach” joins the San Felice winemaking team
June 12, 2025 (Castelnuovo Berardenga, Italy) — San Felice — the acclaimed wine and hospitality company owned by the Allianz Group — announces a new partnership with renowned French oenologist Thomas Duclos.
Through this collaboration, San Felice aims to further strengthen its commitment to crafting authentic, terroir-driven wines of outstanding stylistic precision, continuing to stand as a benchmark of contemporary excellence in the international wine scene.
Thomas Duclos, affiliated since 2011 with the Oenoteam laboratory based in Libourne, France, is one of the most influential voices of the new generation of French winemakers. He has worked with prestigious estates such as Château Canon, Château Troplong Mondot, Franc Mayne, Beau-Séjour Bécot, and Château Giscours.
“San Felice has selected Thomas Duclos as its consulting winemaker. Known for his disciplined approach centered on purity, balance, and elegance, Duclos will support and mentor the winemaking teams of our three estates — San Felice (Chianti Classico), Campogiovanni (Montalcino), and Bell’Aja (Bolgheri) — helping us innovate and enhance our expertise, showcase each terroir’s unique identity, and elevate the personality and recognition of our wines to new heights,” states Mario Cuccia, President of San Felice.
San Felice has long upheld a tradition of high-level winemaking. In a wine world increasingly affected by climate change and constantly evolving consumer tastes, it is essential to understand how best to manage both vineyard and cellar practices. Cuccia adds, “Given the complexities ahead, going it alone would have limited our team’s growth, the company’s ambitions, and ultimately the future quality of our wines. This is why we turned to a French professional of indisputable caliber.”
Carlo De Biasi, General Manager of San Felice continues, “To meet the challenges that lie ahead, we must evolve in the vineyard, the cellar, and in our organizational approach. For us, people always come first. The team is essential for creating the vineyard, the wine, and the brand to enhance its value. These intricate steps require the perspective of an external expert who integrates into our team. Thomas Duclos is the perfect blend of outside insight and respect for our identity — an ideal ally for a long-term project driven by a pursuit of excellence and the desire to constantly raise the bar, all while remaining true to who we are.”
After visiting the estates, Thomas Duclos shared his initial impressions, which led to the decision to embark on the partnership: “San Felice: a mosaic of soils and exposures that captures the spirit of contemporary Chianti Classico. Campogiovanni: the power of a historic site enriched by a 21st-century vision. Bell’Aja: a refined, precise interpretation of a wild and sun-drenched terroir.”
Thomas Duclos describes himself as “A hard worker and someone who deeply values human relationships — the Oenoteam crew is proof of that. This broader vision is essential in daily life. Integrating into winery teams is crucial to crafting wines of balance and elegance. Our job is to reveal the terroir without overdoing it. Every wine must have its own personality.”
About San Felice
San Felice, owned by the Allianz Group since 1970, is a forward-thinking company engaged in winemaking, hospitality, and fine dining. Its winemaking activities take place across three estates in Tuscany’s most prestigious appellations: Chianti Classico (San Felice estate), Montalcino (Campogiovanni estate), and Bolgheri (Bell’Aja estate). The company manages a total of 685 hectares, including 188 hectares of vineyards and 60 hectares of olive groves, with the rest dedicated to arable land and woodland. The estate has been shaped by a broad-reaching vineyard and olive grove replanting program as well as intensive research aimed at highlighting the uniqueness of each terroir, rediscovering native varieties, and assessing the performance of international ones. The winery produces around one million bottles annually, exclusively from estate-grown grapes.
San Felice’s commitment to sustainability continues through the adoption of regenerative viticulture practices, a carbon-cycle-based management model that restores soil health, prevents erosion, promotes biodiversity, and mitigates climate change impacts.
The wines of San Felice, Campogiovanni, and Bell’Aja are available for purchase at the estate’s wine lounge, as well as in select wine shops and restaurants in Italy and abroad. Critics and industry rating publications regularly award top scores to the estate’s wines. Winemaking operations are overseen by Carlo De Biasi, General Manager of Agricola San Felice S.p.A.
Hospitality and dining services are based in the iconic village of San Felice, nestled within the estate’s vineyards. Borgo San Felice Resort is a 5-star “albergo diffuso” and a member of Relais & Châteaux. It has been awarded two Michelin Keys for its exceptional hospitality. The resort includes 63 rooms, of which 23 are Suites, 11 Prestige, and 29 Premium Deluxe. Two nearby countryside villas offer bespoke stays. The property also features The Botanic Spa, two tennis courts, and a gym. Borgo San Felice hosts curated experiences, including tastings of wines from all three estates. Dining is led by Executive Chef Juan Quintero, in collaboration with Michelin-starred Chef Enrico Bartolini. The estate offers two restaurants: Poggio Rosso, awarded one Michelin Star and one Green Star, known for its refined gourmet cuisine; and Osteria Il Grigio, which serves simpler, family-style dishes rooted in Tuscan tradition. Borgo San Felice S.r.l. is managed by Maurizio Devescovi, CEO, and Danilo Guerrini, General Manager.
A flagship social responsibility project is “L’Orto e l’Aia Felice”, promoted by the Allianz UMANA MENTE Foundation. It engages young people with disabilities and local elderly residents in a social farming initiative — cultivating a vegetable garden and caring for farm animals — that fosters intergenerational knowledge transfer and community connection.
The Boards of Directors of both companies are chaired by Mario Cuccia.
