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Terre dei Cavalieri — The Company
The Company
Terre dei Cavalieri
Five historic estates, one Order: from Friuli to the Tuscia, the winemaking and farming tradition of the Knights of Malta.
About us
A great agricultural heritage
Terre dei Cavalieri is a family of outstanding agricultural estates, deeply bound to history, tradition and the land.
One of the largest and oldest farming realities in the country, it embodies one of the finest legacies of Italian agriculture. Under the guidance of the Sovereign Order of Malta it works across many fields: from the cultivation of cereals, vineyards, olive and walnut groves to livestock breeding. This bond inspires us to keep alive the values of dedication, integrity and service, reflecting them in the quality of our products and in our respect for the land.
We have three estates dedicated to viticulture — Rocca Bernarda in Friuli, Villa Giustiniani in the Veneto and Castello di Magione in Umbria — the pride of our wine production. The Mugnano and Sugarella estates further enrich our agricultural heritage. A union of historic tradition and care for the land that makes Terre dei Cavalieri unique in the Italian landscape.
5
Historic estates
4
Italian regions
100+
Hectares farmed
1113
The Order of Malta
Our values
What guides us
Heritage
A thousand years of the Order of Malta’s history, kept alive in every estate.
Terroir
Vineyards, olive groves and fields from Friuli to Umbria, each with its own identity.
Excellence
Wines and products born from care for the land and from tradition.
Service
The Knights’ spirit of hospitality and service guides every choice we make.
Nine centuries
The history of the Order
From the papal recognition of 1113 to today: nine centuries of the Knights of Saint John, down to the estates that bear their name.
The recognition
Pope Paschal II recognises the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem with the bull «Pie postulatio voluntatis»: the official birth of the Hospitaller Order from which the Knights of Malta descend.
Rhodes
The Order settles on the island of Rhodes and rises as a great naval power of the Mediterranean, in defence of the faith and of pilgrims.
Malta
Emperor Charles V grants the island of Malta to the Order, which establishes its seat there: from then on, the «Knights of Malta».
The Great Siege
The Knights defend Malta against the Ottoman siege, one of the most celebrated pages of European history: courage and sacrifice for the «Tuitio Fidei».
The Order's lands
The Order’s commanderies and estates in Italy, from Friuli to the Tuscia, preserved through the centuries the agricultural vocation of the Knights: the same care for the land that lives today in our estates.
Terre dei Cavalieri
Five historic estates united in a single project, carrying forward the name and spirit of the Order: wine, oil and hospitality under the eight-pointed cross.
The Order in Europe
The Order’s seats and Tongues
The seats over the centuries
- 1Jerusalem 1048
The origins: the Hospital of St John for pilgrims in the Holy Land. - 2Rhodes 1310
The Order settles on Rhodes, a naval power of the Mediterranean. - 3Malta 1530
Charles V grants Malta to the Order: the Knights of Malta are born. - 4Rome 1834
The Order establishes its sovereign seat in Rome, where it remains today.
The eight Tongues of Europe
Not spoken languages, but the eight «nations» into which the Order was divided: each knight belonged to one by region of origin, with its own seat (auberge) and a stretch of walls to defend.
EnglandFranceAuvergneProvenceCastileAragonItalyGermany
From the Mediterranean to Italy
The same calling, today
From the great Mediterranean seats to the hills and vineyards of our estates: the Order’s tradition lives on in the care of the land.
Our lands
Five estates, from Friuli to the Tuscia
- 1Rocca BernardaFriuli · Colli Orientali · Since 1559
In the Colli Orientali of Friuli, the historic cradle of Picolit: great white wines since 1559. Visit the site → - 2Villa GiustinianiVeneto · Spresiano · 16th century
A 16th-century residence of the Giustiniani family, among the vineyards of the Veneto. Visit the site → - 3Castello di MagioneUmbria · Trasimeno · Since 1171
The Order’s fortress on Lake Trasimeno since 1171: Umbrian wines and hospitality. Visit the site → - 4MugnanoUmbria · livestock & milk
An Umbrian farming estate dedicated to livestock and milk production. Visit the site → - 5SugarellaTuscia · oil & livestock
In the Tuscia: extra-virgin olive oil and livestock in the heart of the countryside. Visit the site →
Atmosphere
Among cellars, courtyards and vineyards
«On this long journey through Italy we have chosen to safeguard the tradition, quality and authenticity of our products, celebrating the culture of our territories.»