After a long and prestigious career, Claudio Quarta has announced his retirement, entrusting the Tommasi family with the acquisition of Tenuta Eméra in Lizzano and Cantina Moros in Guagnano, Lecce. This important handover ensures both continuity and growth: Alessandra Quarta will remain alongside the Tommasi Family to guarantee the further development of the Masseria Surani project.
Claudio Quarta’s winemaking journey began in 2005, when he decided to leave behind his career as a researcher and pharmaceutical entrepreneur in the United States to return to Italy and follow his lifelong passion for wine — a true return to his roots in his native Salento. His daughter Alessandra joined him in 2012, bringing international experience and energy that played a crucial role in the project’s success. Innovation, research and modernity, combined with tradition, history and sustainability, have been the cornerstones of Claudio Quarta Vignaiolo in both Lizzano and Guagnano.
Tommasi Family Estates has been active in Puglia since 2012 with Masseria Surani in Manduria, at the heart of the Primitivo DOC denomination, starting with 55 hectares of vineyards in Tenuta Espéra, later expanded by an additional 45 hectares in Lizzano adjacent to Tenuta Eméra. The acquisition from Claudio Quarta will allow the Surani to expand its offerings in the coming years.
«For our family this acquisition is a great opportunity – says Pierangelo Tommasi, General Director of Tommasi Family Estates – Masseria Surani is now strengthened with a new winemaking and bottling facility, and our vineyard holdings grow to over 800 hectares across Italy. Alongside this expansion, the wine tourism project linked to Masseria Surani also grows, in places that embody the authentic spirit of Puglia, complementing the mosaic of hospitality at our estates from Valpolicella Classica to Montalcino and Basilicata’s Vulture».
The Puglian portfolio of Tommasi Family Estates is thus expanded and strengthened under the Masseria Surani brand, which now includes: Tenuta Espéra in Manduria, the historic heart of the estate and birthplace of exclusive labels designed for fine dining and a true expression of the terroir; Tenuta Eméra in Lizzano, focused on Primitivo DOC, Fiano and Negroamaro Rosé; and Cantina Moros in Guagnano, custodian of the Salice Salentino DOC Riserva.
Like its other estates, Tommasi Family Estates values and prioritizes local knowledge and looks forward to having Alessandra Quarta as part of the Masseria Surani team. «Since 2023 I have been leading the company – adds Alessandra Quarta – Facing the challenges of global markets, I was looking for a solid partner to continue to grow. I am confident that together with the Tommasi Family we will carry forward the project started with my father, creating new opportunities for the territory with a sustainable and increasingly value-conscious approach».
With this acquisition, the Tommasi Family’s Mediterranean vision is fully realized, reinforcing its presence in three iconic Southern Italian terroirs: Salento with Masseria Surani, Basilicata’s Vulture with Paternoster, and Mount Etna in Sicily with Ammura. The goal is to narrate the richness and diversity of the Mediterranean through wines that embody territorial identity and tradition on an international stage.
