Tuscany | Maremma

For centuries, the Maremma was the land of the butteri – the Tuscan drovers who rode through the marshland on small horses and herded the large white Maremma cattle. The mandriolo, the herdsman, was their trade. Morisfarms has given this name a wine that suits it: down-to-earth, uncomplicated, straightforward. 80% Sangiovese, supplemented by Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot – a pragmatic blend from the Poggetti estate in Massa Marittima. Clay-rich, fossil-rich soils, seven kilometres of coastline, south-west exposure. Harvested in mid to late September, fermented in temperature-controlled cement vats with 15 days of maceration, pumping over twice a day. No wood. Bottled for three months. Finished.

The name says it all: Badilante pays tribute to the workers who, for generations, used their spades to drain and cultivate the marshy lands of the Maremma. Simone Castelli, son of the legendary OenologistMaurizio, vinifies this single-varietal Sangiovese at the organically farmed Podere 414 vineyard near Scansano. The grapes grow at an altitude of 230 metres in loamy-clay soils with a high proportion of coarse material. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete, 15–18 days’ maceration with délestage and remontage, followed by ageing partly in concrete and partly in wood.

Gròttolo means "little grotto". A fitting name for an estate whose cellars are dug deep into the rock – four levels, designed according to the principles of Edoardo Milesi’s bio-architecture. No pumps, just gravity. Down there, where the temperature remains constant and time passes differently, this Rosato also matures. Sangiovese, gently pressed, short maceration at cool temperatures, stainless steel – this is how Montecucco’s most important grape variety is transformed into a rosé that expresses the character of the terroir in a different colour.

"According to legend, this is the sea into which Aphrodite scattered the pearls of her necklace and from which Tuscany was born. The beauty of the region makes us believe this legend! But scientifically speaking, the Belvento, the beautiful wind, is an important factor in the development of grape quality, as it is precisely this wind that ensures good ventilation of the vineyard, the cooling breeze that keeps the freshness in the grapes and makes these wines so pleasantly invigorating." Flavours and aromas are always created here from the interplay of land and sea. This is why the labels of Belvento wines depict the animal species that live on the coast, in the waters and in the nearby nature reserve. I Vini del Mare Belvento – this name stands for the still young project of the Moretti family and explains which wines are produced here in the Maremma near the coast: The wines of the Sea of Fair Winds.

I Vini del Mare Belvento - this name stands for the still young project of the Moretti family, as it describes the wines they harvest and press here in the Maremma, close to the sea: the wines of the Sea of Fair Winds. "According to legend, this is the sea into which Aphrodite scattered the pearls of her necklace and from which Tuscany was born. The beauty of the region makes us believe this legend! But scientifically speaking, the Belvento, the beautiful wind, is an important factor in the development of grape quality, as it is precisely this wind that ensures good ventilation of the vineyard, the cooling breeze that keeps the freshness in the grapes and makes these wines so pleasantly invigorating." Flavours and aromas are always created here from the interplay of land and sea. This is why the labels of Belvento wines depict the animal species that live on the coast, in the waters and in the nearby nature reserve.

The dense, well-articulated Rigoleto made predominantly from organically grown Sangiovese grapes is extremely drinkable. The bouquet beguiles with beautiful aromas of dried plums and dark cherries. Opens with a lively bouquet of wild strawberries, rhubarb, violets and crushed stones. Silky to the touch, Rigoleto has impressive weight yet wonderful energy as a wave of ripe red and blue fruit swirls under the scent of lavender and spice. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for Maurizio Castelli's new, crisp and fresh white wines come from a vineyard on Monte Bottigli, a "forteto" known to the locals for its wild and impenetrable nature. They ripen with a view of the panorama of the Tuscan archipelago and ideally embody the maritime character of the Maremma. Bright yellow with a bouquet characterised by floral and yellow-fleshed fruit aromas. On the palate, it has a medium structure, complexity and persistence, and its freshness makes it extremely enjoyable in the glass. For us, Costa Ovest is the ideal summer wine! SUPERIORE.DE

Rosamundi is one of the oldest rose species in Europe – the Gallic rose, cultivated by the Greeks and Romans, cultivated in medieval gardens and recognised as one of the most important of its kind in the 19th century. Morisfarms has chosen this name for a rosé that does it justice: historically rooted, botanically precise, with a quiet elegance. 100% Sangiovese from the Poggetti estate in Massa Marittima – clay-rich soils, south-west exposure, seven kilometres of sea air. The grapes are harvested in mid-September. What follows is the decisive factor: The skins are removed immediately after gentle pressing – no contact with the skins, vinification like a white wine. Fermentation in steel under dry ice protection, 15 days on the fine lees, fresh in the bottle.

Since 2006, Pelofino has represented the youthful, carefree side of Fattoria Le Pupille – a counterpoint to the more serious, oak-influenced flagship wines Saffredi and Poggio Valente, with which Elisabetta Geppetti has put the Maremma on the world's wine map. Sixty% Sangiovese forms the Tuscan foundation, complemented by equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from various plots on the estate, whose soils range from clay-silt to sandy-loam in structure, interspersed with marl-limestone. Harvesting follows the respective ripening stages: Merlot and Sangiovese are harvested in the first half of September, whilst the later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon is not harvested until the first week of October. In the cellar, the Pelofino is deliberately kept light: fermentation at 24°C in stainless steel, 15 days' contact with the skins, followed by five months' ageing – also in stainless steel, without any contact with wood. What counts here is fruit, not heavy tannins.

The Lohsa Estate is situated in Magliano in Toscana – deep in the Maremma, less than 30 kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Federico Carletti bought it in the 1990s and replanted the vineyards: Sangiovese as the main variety, with Ciliegiolo as its Tuscan companion. The soils here are galestro and marl, rich in mineral content and well-drained; at around 100 metres – the sea is close enough to moderate ripening without compromising the structure. Morellino di Scansano is Sangiovese in a Maremma guise: sunnier, softer and more approachable than its big brothers in the north – but with a character all of its own. Fermented in stainless steel, followed by partial ageing in wood: the wine remains fresh, losing none of its Mediterranean directness.

In the local dialect, "Melacce" means "apple orchard". Anyone familiar with the Collemassari vineyards will understand the choice: those windswept slopes near Cinigiano, where the Tyrrhenian Sea greets every breeze and bestows upon the grapes a salty freshness that no winery in the world can replicate. The vineyards lie at 320 metres; the sea is thirty kilometres away – close enough to taste. 100% Vermentino, temperature-controlled ageing in stainless steel. No oak, no intervention – everything that happens here takes place in the vineyard.

Morisfarms is located seven kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. And you can taste it. The Vermentino from the Poggetti estate carries the coast in the glass: salty, mineral, fresh, with that characteristic crispness that distinguishes Vermentino from the Tuscan coast from its more opulent relatives from Sardinia or Piedmont. The wine is not a pure Vermentino, but a harmonious blend: 90 per cent Vermentino, 10 per cent Viognier – the indigenous coastal variety and an aromatic northern player. The Viognier is harvested at the end of August, the Vermentino in mid-September. Both are cold clarified separately and fermented together in steel at 18 degrees. Matured lean, short fine lees, fresh in the bottle.

Elisabetta Geppetti is more than just a winemaker – she is the "Signora del Morellino", that dynamic woman who, at the age of just 20, took the reins of the family-owned winery and helped bring the Maremma international renown. When she produced the first Morellino in 1985, she laid the foundations for a success story that continues to this day. This wine is Le Pupille's calling card, both in terms of quantity and quality – a consistent, authentic expression of the terroir between Pereta and Magliano in Toscana.

Poggio al Lupo brings the trendy white Vermentino variety in its sunny, Mediterranean form with clear elegance. A light, slightly golden straw yellow colour in the glass. The aroma is reminiscent of green mandarin, lemon zest, white peach and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. The palate is fresh, with animating acidity, delicate salty minerality, ripe fruit and crisp drinkability. Fruit sweetness and freshness balance each other out. An uncomplicated, reliable Tuscan from the west coast – lean, typical of the region and ideal with seafood, grilled vegetables or light fish. SUPERIORE.DE

Between Bolgheri and Scansano, on the hills of Gavorrano in the central Maremma, two worlds came together: Paolo Panerai of Castellare di Castellina and Baron Eric de Rothschild of Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Lafite. The first Italian-French joint venture in viticulture was born – and with it, on the estate's highest hill, a cellar designed by Renzo Piano. The only one of its kind. Beneath it, carved 50 metres into the rock, lie up to 2,000 barriques. On the hill: Etruscan artefacts proving that wine has been made here for 3,000 years.

Belguardo – the beautiful view. The Mazzei family gave their Maremma estate this name in 1997, and it's a fitting one: from the hills between Grosseto and Montiano, the view stretches all the way to the Tyrrhenian Sea, which lies just ten kilometres away. This proximity is not merely a romantic detail – it is terroir. The sea breezes cool the vineyards every day, slowing down the ripening process and preserving the freshness that characterises the Vermentino grown on these sandy Arenaria soils.

The Mazzei family acquired the Tenuta Belguardo in the Tuscan Maremma in 1997 – on the hills between Grosseto and Montiano, ten kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. An estate with a view and sea breeze, on sandy Arenaria and Alberese soils. Here, the family opted for an unusual pairing: Sangiovese and Syrah as the basis for a rosé, which forms a category of its own in the Maremma. Sangiovese brings freshness and structure. Syrah brings the floral fragrance and Mediterranean depth. The short maceration time preserves the elegance of both varieties without taking away their character.

Unlitro – a name that is the programme and at the same time sums up the entire philosophy of Ampeleia. At a time when wines are becoming ever more complex, the team around Elisabetta Foradori and Giovanni Podini are focussing on the essence of winemaking: creating an honest, easy-drinking wine that expresses the beauty of the Maremma landscape without embellishment. The grapes for this special blend of Alicante Nero, Sangiovese, Carignano, Mourvèdre and Alicante Bouschet come from the organically farmed vineyards near Roccatederighi. Here, just a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea, the vines thrive on the characteristic Galestro and Alberese soils of the Maremma at an altitude of 200-400 metres. The Mediterranean climate, with its warm days and cool sea breezes, creates ideal conditions for wines with natural balance and freshness.

The name ‘Hebo’ traces back to an ancient Etruscan settlement near Suvereto and serves as a reminder that this part of the Maremma has been a wine-growing region for thousands of years. Francesca Moretti conceived this wine as a versatile everyday companion that bears Petra’s signature without being prohibitively expensive. The blend combines Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc – the very varieties that Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Princess of Piombino, introduced to this area in the early 19th century. Following selective hand-harvesting, the grapes ferment in stainless steel at controlled temperatures. Ageing takes place in a combination of vessels: part in large Slavonian oak casks of 30 to 50 hectolitres, and part in two- to three-year-old French barriques. After around 12 months, the cuvée is blended and matures for a further few months in the bottle.

The name is a tribute. Maria Iris Bertarelli – co-founder and the heart and soul of Collemassari – is the woman who, together with her brother Claudio Tipa, acquired the abandoned castle in Montecucco in 1998 and planted it with a vision: that this forgotten hilly landscape between Montalcino and Scansano had what it takes to become an appellation in its own right. Irisse is her wine. Vermentino with up to 25% Grechetto – more body, more substance. But what really sets Irisse apart from Melacce is the short maceration on the skins, followed by twelve months' ageing in large oak casks. This yields a depth one rarely expects from Vermentino.

The Maremma is a land of red wine. Morellino di Scansano, Saffredi, great Sangiovese and Cabernet – these are the images that characterise this coastal region of southern Tuscany. Elisabetta Geppetti, who has been regarded as an ambassador for this region for decades, took a different approach in 1997: a white wine made from northern grape varieties – Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Manseng, Traminer, Semillon – planted in the south. The result is called Poggio Argentato, a white wine with – as Geppetti herself puts it – "a French accent and a Tuscan soul". The grapes come from two vineyards: Pian di Fiora near Pereta, on tuff-rich, alabaster-laden soil with a south-eastern exposure; and San Vittorio near Scansano, on clayey silt mixed with quartz and igneous rock, facing north-east and open to the sea breezes. Altitude of 200 to 250 metres, 6,500 vines per hectare. The Sauvignon Blanc is aged exclusively in stainless steel. The other varieties spend a short time in second-fill tonneaux. Five months on the fine lees – for texture and depth without any hint of oak.

Suvereto, south of Bolgheri – where the Tuscan Maremma lies between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the metalliferous hills of the Colline Metallifere, the Frascolla family continues the legacy of Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti. They began in 1984 with a modest ten hectares, and today Tua Rita is one of the most respected addresses in the region. The Palazzetto epitomises the philosophy of the house, even in the entry-level segment: top quality without pretence. Sangiovese forms the backbone of this cuvée, with Cabernet Sauvignon providing structure and small proportions of Merlot and Syrah. The grapes come from various plots on the estate and are vinified according to organic principles. Short maceration, maturation in stainless steel tanks – deliberately without wood in order to preserve the clear fruit and vibrancy of the grape varieties.

The Maremma was Etruscan country before it became wine country – and on the hill of Gavorrano, where the cellar building designed by Renzo Piano is cut into the landscape, excavations have brought to light wine remains from a past almost three thousand years old. What began back then, Rocca di Frassinello continues today: as a joint venture between Castellare di Castellina and the Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Lafite, with the aim of uniting the best of two wine worlds on a single estate. The Vermentino grows at an altitude of 90 metres in a natural wind tunnel along the old Via Aurelia – a constant sea breeze blows over the hills from the coast near Castiglione della Pescaia, keeping humidity and heat at bay. Vinification in steel tanks, six months maturation on the lees.