A new digital experience for Tenute del Cerro: the restyling of the website between identity and innovation

Tenute del Cerro has changed its digital image. The new website is now online, marking a change of pace in the communication of this historic winery. It is not just a simple restyling, but a real strategic and narrative evolution to accompany the growth of the Unipol Group’s wineries. Three keywords underpin the project: experience, territory and tradition, reinterpreted through a more immersive and intuitive digital experience, which allows users to choose and book their own itinerary independently. To illustrate this change, we interviewed Marco Mastromarino, head of Unipol’s Digital Experience department, who led the project, and Antonio Donato, General Manager of Tenute del Cerro.

From an informative showcase to a commercial and emotional channel

The website redesign represents ‘a 360° evolution that is unprecedented in the world of wine,’ explains Antonio Donato, made possible by our membership of the Unipol Group and designed to connect the company directly with wine lovers. It is a digital platform that stands out for its integrated experience, connecting wine enthusiasts with every aspect of our universe, from visits to the winery to stays, tastings and activities in the area, creating a day-to-day link between the user and Tenute del Cerro. One of the strategic points is therefore the acceleration of the relationship with the customer: in an area that involves several steps along the supply chain, the new channel eliminates them and communicates directly with the end consumer, overcoming traditional barriers: something unique for the sector.”

This is a significant shift from the company’s past: in fact, at the beginning, Tenute del Cerro needed to communicate and inform, while at the same time creating consistency in the narrative of the different estates,’ says Mastromarino. ‘It was a site that focused heavily on informative content. But today, Tenute del Cerro has developed the ability to offer excellent additional services and products, from e-commerce to hospitality, including experiences in the local area. Therefore, a digital channel capable of accompanying this important transformation was needed.’

The new website reflects this change, including a shift in perspective: from a static, didactic channel to a dynamic digital ecosystem, where storytelling, commercial offerings and customer relations coexist in an integrated way.

‘It wasn’t just a matter of updating the content,’ continues Mastromarino, ‘but of changing the DNA of the platform. We had to evolve the site from a simple information showcase to a vehicle for interest and traffic towards the wines and various products of the estates, services and experiences, integrating tools capable of supporting this new vocation.’

Three fundamental aspects are linked to this transformation: the integration of marketing automation tools and a new CMS platform, designed to offer greater autonomy to publishers. The editorial component continues to fuel a tone of voice oriented towards emotion and experience about wine excellence in harmony with the territory, to offer updated and inspirational content to end users.

‘The brand is no longer the same today: it has made enormous progress in many ways,’ continues Unipol’s Digital Experience Manager, as evidenced by Tenute del Cerro’s new environmental and social certifications, which make a responsible and long-term vision tangible.

The narration becomes an experience

The new narrative does not renounce the original identity but expands it. The focus is no longer solely on wine as a product, but on everything that surrounds it: the territory, hospitality, and welcoming businesses and private clients. The company has consolidated its contact with customers both through its new website and thanks to significant investments in its facilities: over four years ago, work began on the new Fattoria del Cerro cellar, nestled in the vineyards of Prugnolo Gentile, and on the expansion of the accommodation facility with 25 rooms capable of hosting visitors in impeccable style. Fattoria del Cerro thus offers an innovatively designed space, perfect for hosting corporate events.

‘Tenute del Cerro is no longer just a winery that produces wine, but a company that creates emotional experiences around wine, such as stays, tastings and catering,’ continues the interviewee. The beating heart is no longer the culture of the product as a single bottle of wine, but the experience itself: ‘this has led us to make the narrative more immersive and sensory’.The story – not only through the restyling of the bottle labels, but of the entire website – thus becomes a tool for creating emotional involvement, an invitation to explore the world of the estates with a broader perspective.

Architecture and Accessibility: A Website Designed for the User

The new digital channel not only tells a story but also engages in dialogue, guiding the visitor through every stage of their journey. To achieve this, the information architecture has been simplified while managing a more complex range of offerings. The new website is therefore richer in services and content yet easier to navigate, as Mastromarino emphasizes: “We worked extensively on the information architecture to make navigation as intuitive as possible”. The design process involved a wide range of expertise, from service design to user experience, from user interface to accessibility.
“The UI experts worked according to two key principles: creating an immersive experience and developing a visual identity that reflects what Tenute del Cerro wants to convey – territory and tradition”. Furthermore, the interviewee highlights, “The vast majority of users browse on mobile”; which is why the decision was made to design a mobile-first website – conceived and developed primarily for mobile devices and then adapted for desktop – ensuring every interaction works seamlessly on smartphones.

Towards an Integrated Ecosystem: Between Booking, E Commerce, and CRM

Another key goal of the project was to transform the customer journey into a smoother, more direct, and autonomous experience.
First and foremost, Mastromarino explains, “The website can now guide the user directly to the e‑commerce”, but that’s not all: “Customers can now independently purchase or book an experience,” whether it’s reserving a room at one of the estates, booking a wine tasting, or soon even a restaurant table – without having to contact the company directly – thanks to the integration of booking tools.

This efficiency also benefits internal management, which no longer needs to handle intermediations or manual requests, resulting in significant improvements. At the same time, the integration of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) allows the company to build lasting relationships with each visitor by using browsing data to enable targeted and timely communications.

Automated workflows have been introduced to analyze user behavior, categorize and segment visitors, and trigger specific follow‑ups: for example, a reminder about a stay reservation, assistance in purchasing a bottle or an experience, or an invitation to subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed. Naturally, another crucial aspect of the project was ensuring that every digital component complied with the latest standards for accessibility and data protection, following the principle of “privacy by design”.
Specifically, the website was developed in line with the new European Accessibility Act (EAA), which requires companies to ensure access to digital services for people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities, guaranteeing full accessibility and inclusiveness from the very beginning of development.

A blog as an emotional diary: introducing “Note di vino”

The new website also features a brand-new editorial project, which has changed its look and name: Note di vino (Wine Notes). No longer just a simple news section, it is now a veritable ‘emotional diary’ that intertwines products, territory and people. ‘Note di vino was born from the common thread we have given ourselves, which is harmony: just like harmony, the blog combines stories about typical products, news from the estates, itineraries and guides to discover the territory that hosts them,’ says Mastromarino. The new blog features richer and more narrative content, designed to create a deeper connection with the reader. Among the new features is the integration of audio content, to make the experience even more immersive and engaging.

 

The new website is therefore the result of a profound evolution: technological, narrative and functional. It is a place to recount the present and build the future, where content and functionality, storytelling and technology, tradition and innovation come together to enhance a constantly evolving identity and its ability to excite, guide and convert. And, above all, to grow together with its audience and customers.