about us
Built in 1700. Reimagined for 2026.
A family's return to Puglia. A masseria's second life.
Three centuries of history, meeting a new generation's hands.
You feel it as soon as you step inside. Time lingers here, held in the thick limestone walls and vaulted ceilings that have witnessed centuries of storms, harvests, and everyday life.
The masseria was first built in the 1700s, expanded in the 1800s, and last touched in the mid-1900s.
Today, it’s being brought back to life by a family who believes these places aren’t meant to be replaced; they’re meant to be respected.
Masseria Pietra e Terra came to life thanks to the shared vision of Michele Iadarola and Julia Mechtler, and their desire to turn a Puglian farmhouse into a simple family home centred on food, wine, and art. After years between London, Budapest, and New York, they chose this place as a way to slow down, stay close to Michele’s roots, and welcome a small number of guests into their everyday life.
In 2018, that dream turned into coordinates: twelve wild hectares tucked between Ostuni and the Adriatic. An abandoned masseria. Gnarled olive trees. Land that hadn't seen vines in decades.
The first thing Michele did was plant.
2.4 hectares of Susumaniello, Ottavianello, and Fiano—grapes native to this very soil. Four years later, those vines bore their first fruit: 8,000 bottles of wine that speak the language of this land.
Then in 2023, they began restoring the building itself.
Stone by stone. Story by story.
This isn’t a renovation. It’s restoration.
We didn’t come here to modernize the past. We carefully brought it forward. The original stone walls remain, marked by the hands that built them three centuries ago. The vaulted ceilings needed repair, not reinvention. Terracotta floors, worn smooth by generations of footsteps, were preserved. The chestnut beams are still strong and steady.
What we added was quiet comfort. Heated floors where they matter, windows that open easily, and lighting that works without thought. It’s hard to tell what’s old and what’s new, and that’s intentional.
From this restoration, four guest rooms were created:
Room Pietra, Room Vite, Room Oliva, and Room Terra
Each room has its own character, inspired by the space they are named for. These are not just rooms to stay in, they are spaces to settle into.
Masseria Pietra e Terra isn't a standalone dream. It's the living heart of Especially Puglia, Michele's platform connecting small Puglian producers to the world through ecommerce, adopt-a-producer programs, culinary journeys, and storytelling.
Places like this don't belong to you. You belong to them. You're just the steward for a little while.
Michele's grandfather made wine, not to sell, but to share. For family. For neighbors. For the people who helped with harvest. It was just how things were done.
We believe that luxury lies in knowing where your food came from, who made your wine, what it took to bring a meal to the table. That true hospitality is about sharing, not service.
This masseria has stood for 325 years. With care, it'll stand for 325 more. That's the promise. That's the purpose.
