Wineries to visit less than an hour’s drive from Castiglione della Pescaia
The winemaking tradition of the Tuscan coast started a long time ago.
Since Roman times, grapes have been grown and wine produced along the Tuscan coast, first in the North and later to the South. From the Colli di Luni, to the Pisan hills, to Bolgheri, Val di Cornia, the metalliferous hills to the Argentario, through to the more recent Grossetano wine zone, the cultivation has thrived near the sea. First in Bolgheri and then in the Grosseto area, thanks to the Grand Duke of Lorraine, major land reclamation initiatives were undertaken which allowed for the development of an important wine industry.
Today, the Maremma Toscana DOC covers the entire province of Grosseto, so all the vineyards grown in this area can produce wines under this appellation. The principal grape varieties cultivated in this area are: Sangiovese, Vermentino, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tuscan Trebbiano, Syrah, Ciliegiolo, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Ansonica, Chardonnay, Alicante, Viognier, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Alicante Bouschet, Colorino and Pugnitello. This territory is ideal for vines like Vermentino, the preeminent varietal in the zone, because it is capable of giving excellent results in coastal, sunny areas like Maremma. The climatic characteristics of this area have always made it unique within Tuscany thanks to the contemporaneous proximity to the sea, the mountains and the hills.
Maremma is a generous land in every sense of the word,, not only for its vastness and for the range of wines it produces. It is also a land with many other agricultural activities which include the production of cheeses, meats, bread, rice, and vegetables. The Coast is a perfect match with local cheeses and fish, both raw and cooked.
In the Castiglione della Pescaia area
Le Mortelle (Antinori Family)
The Antinori family has been dedicated to wine for more than six hundred years, but as the Marquis likes to say: “The ancient roots play an important role in our family philosophy but they have never inhibited our innovative spirit”. In fact, the Fattoria le Mortelle is the most recent of the family’s vineyard acquisitions and is located 8km from Castiglione della Pescaia in the direction of Ampio. It is a farm of 270 hectares of which 170 are planted with vineyards. The Antinori family has invested heavily in this area with this wonderful winery because it is convinced that the Maremma area is perfectly suited to the production of quality wine.
Vineyards: The 170 hectares of vineyards are dedicated mainly to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, as well as more recent white grape varietals such as Vermentino, Ansonica and Viognier, and a small share of Carménère. The medium textured soil of sand and silt has a predominantly silicious-clay composition and is, in some areas, quite rich in skeleton.
Winery: located on the top of a hill overlooking the estate, the winery is partially buried to reduce the impact with the surrounding natural landscape. The cylindrical hypogeum-shaped structure is arranged on three levels: inside all of the various phases of the wine production cycle are carried out exclusively by “falling”, from the reception of the grapes, to vinification, to storage and aging in barriques in the basement.
Strengths: the location, the guided tours of the cellar and the charcuterie boards with wine tastings.
Contacts
Fattoria Le Mortelle
Loc. Ampio, Castiglione della Pescaia (GR)
Telephone +39 0564 944003
www.antinori.it
Tenuta Fertuna
Tenuta Fertuna was founded in 1997 and the name refers to the fertility of the land and the fortune of those who cultivate it. It is 21 km from Castiglione della Pescaia in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma where ancient Etruscans had developed their flourishing civilization by dedicating themselves to agriculture. In this area, the land is fertile and uncontaminated. The Mediterranean microclimate guarantees optimal temperature ranges both night and day.
Vineyards: The estate covers 145 hectares of which 50 are vineyards. The careful manual selection of the grapes takes place two or more times per year, both during green harvest and mature harvest, so as to ensure the perfect quality of the bunch. The vineyards are equipped with a drip irrigation system.
Winery: Functionality and hyper-technology, tradition and modernity are perfectly harmonized. The barrel room houses both new and seasoned (second and third passage) barriques and tonneaux, where the most prestigious red wines are refined and, after blending, rest for several months in the bottle. Some parcels of Merlot destined for the top of the Messio range also carry out the malolactic fermentation in the same French wood.
Strengths : focus on hospitality, innovation, and tradition. Winery tour, wine tasting with Tuscan food pairing.
Contacts
Tenuta Fertuna
Strada Provinciale Aurelia Vecchia, 58040 Grilli GR
Telephone +39 0566 88138
www.fertuna.it
In the Bolgheri area - Castagneto Carducci
Ornellaia (Frescobaldi Family)
Per 700 anni la famiglia Frescobaldi si occupa di vigneti. Negli anni ha unito tradizione, esperienza e innovazione alla creatività e ricerca dell’eccellenza. La famiglia ha sempre cercato di sviluppare e celebrare le diversità del terroir toscano. Essendo orgogliosi possessori di alcuni dei maggiori vigneti della regione, hanno sempre cercato di mantenere l’identità e l’autonomia di ogni proprietà. Il loro obbiettivo è la qualità assoluta per questo sono attentissimi ai dettagli. L’ Ornellaia dista 68 km da Castiglione della Pescaia.
Vigneti: la tenuta si estende su circa 100 ettari, i vigneti sono coltivati a media alta densità, scelta agronomica per migliorare la qualità dei grappoli. Il terreno su cui sorge la tenuta, per fortuna, contiene molta argilla. Questa trattiene efficacemente l’acqua e permette una buona idratazione naturale alle piante. La vicinanza dei vigneti di Ornellaia alla costa toscana è vitale per mantenere, in particolare, l’acidità nelle uve coltivate. Durante gli afosi mesi estivi, il Mar Tirreno mitiga le temperature, fornendo notti più fresche (quindi maggiore escursione termica) essenziali per rallentare la maturazione dei grappoli.
Cantina: la cantina è la continuazione del vigneto. Una cantina mitica, quindi, alla quale va il merito di aver scritto la storia di Bolgheri. Durante la vendemmia, vengono selezionati e raccolti solamente i grappoli più pregiati ed equilibrati, successivamente in cantina lavorati in maniera separata, in base al cru di provenienza. Poi un anno di riposo in botte, e a seguire la composizione del blend: tutto è volto a esaltare ogni più piccola sfumatura del terroir, e a valorizzare l’espressione di ogni singola annata. Tutto ciò si traduce in complessità ed eleganza difficilmente eguagliabili.
Punti di Forza: la cantina si trova a Bolgheri una zona di fama mondiale per i vitigni. Produce etichette famose in tutto il mondo è possibile visitare la cantina dove sarete accolti da meravigliose opere d’arte facenti parte del progetto Vendemmia d’Artista. Visita della barricaia. La visita termina con la degustazione guidata dell’annata in corso dei vini: Le Volte dell’Ornellaia, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia, Variazioni in Rosso dell’Ornellaia & Ornellaia.
Contacts
Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori Family)
In the prestigious area of Balgheri, owned by the Antinori Family, this very young estate extends for 320 hectares where the vineyards are set in a valley surrounded by hills. It is known as the “Bolgheri ampitheater”, for its particular shape.
Vineyards: Here, the nearby presence of the sea gives the vineyards an optimal climate with constant sea breezes that mitigate the summer heat and the cold winter days. The vineyards – at 45-60 meters above sea level, on soils of various compositions – are planted with Vermentino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
Strengths : Tailor-made visits and tastings at the splendid Osteria del Tasso.
Contacts
In the Suvereto area
Petra (Moretti Family)
Three regions, six wineries, six different ways of experiencing this beauty. Terra Moretti has always been committed to enhancing the area by dedicating itself to the highest standards of wine production. For the Moretti Family, seeking out new land is the first, exciting adventure. In this quest, what matters is the history of the land, the men who built it, the geological eras, microclimates, and all of the exceptional characteristics of nature. Petra, one of the six wineries of the Moretti Family is located in Suvereto, 42 km from Castiglione della Pescaia. It is an estate immersed in a very particular ecosystem influenced by the nature and the landscape from the green belt of the Metalliferous Hills to the nearby Montioni Natural Park, and the Poggio Tre Cancelli Nature Reserve to the Sterpaia Coastal Park overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Suvereto area is rich in oenological evidence dating back to the time of the Greeks and the Etruscans who made wine in amphorae and maintained a thriving metal trade.
Vineyards: The vineyards arise on different areas and surfaces, which can be divided into 3 types of soil depending on the origin and position. In the upper area, stony, calcareous, poor and dry soils are found, followed by soils rich in manganese and metals subjected to alluvial and erosive phenomena, and in the the lower part, are soils rich in silt. Today, the Petra winery offers unique bottles for balance and elegance, a wonderful synthesis of sunshine, finesse and powerful flavors, such as the Petra “Colle al Fico”, Tuscan red wine obtained from 100% Syrah, or the Petra “Hebo”, the workhorse of the company, a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. There’s also the Petra “Quercegobbe” and “La Balena”, white wines made with Viognier (a varietal originating in the Rhone Valley) then aged in barrique.
Winery: Designed by the Swiss architect, Mario Botta, who described this project as “a rational design that highlights the size, the beauty, and the depth of the landscape”.
Strengths: Three tasting itineraries that combine local wines and food, visits to the winemaker’s cellar.
Contacts
In the Magliano in Toscana area
Ammiraglia (Frescobaldi Family)
The dream of the Frescobaldi Family, which has been producing wine in Tuscany for more than 700 years, is to share its hard work, emotions, and passion through its wines. A life dedicated to the understanding and the enhancing of these terroirs by making them part of the spirit of Tuscany as an art of beauty and goodness. The family’s thousand year history is a unique and irreplicable treasure of knowledge and traditions. Our duty is to share and pass on so much passion to future generations, carrying on our love for these places and for these eternal hills. L’Ammiraglia is located in Magliano in Toscana 45 km from Castiglione della Pescaia. Today, l’Ammiraglia represents a temple of design at the service of quality production and respect for the surrounding environment, integrating perfectly with it.
Vineyards: 150 hectares and the wines that are produced here reflect the extraordinary characteristcs of this territory made up of sunny hills, ideal soils and sea breezes that mitigate the high summer temperatures typical of the area. The most prestigious wine of the Estate is made with Syrah, the Ammiraglia IGT Maremma Toscana. Sangiovese is grown in the richest galestro soils which, with a small part of Ciliegiolo (10%) and Syrah (5%), is transformed into Pietraregia, Morellino di Scansano Riserva DOCG. The product line is completed by Terre More, IGT Maremma Toscana (Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Merlot 20%, and Syrah 10%).
Winery: The winery is “a ship that points towards the sea in search of new horizons like the wing of a large seagull. The building extends South, towards teh sea. It has no walls and therefore the integration with the external environment is continuous”, the designer stresses. The building interprets the principles of eco-sustainability and facilitates energy abatement. It was designed by architect, Pietro Sartogo.
Strengths: The winemaker’s cellar, personalized visits with tastings at the Tenuta Restaurant.
Contacts
Ammiraglia
Località La Capitana, 58051 Montiano (GR)
Telephone +39 0564 50411
www.frescobaldi.com
In the Giuncarico area
Rocca di Frassinello
The estate is located 31 km from Castiglione della Pescaia and was built in 2007 by Renzo Piano who shared a passion for sailing with the Rothschild Family, the most famous banking family in the world. Renzo Piano, after havingn flown over most of the Maremma by helicopter, identified in the Giuncarico area the perfect hills where the Rocca di Frassinello winery was founded.
Vineyards: The almost 100 hectares of vineyards, having been founded by an Italian-French joint venture, have equally divided vines: 50% Italian, 50% French, and all wines are blends.
Winery: A large square, with at the center, the highest elevation: the barrel room, fit for 2,000 barriques, enclosed like a large frame with two sides on a single level for the vats, and two sides on two levels for other functions. Everything is organized so that the pumps are never required: the grapes arrive on the large square, which Renzo referred to as the “churchyard”, where they are selected and sent to the fermentation vats by gravitational force through the openings in the churchyard’s pavement.
Strengths: Guided tour of the futuristic architecture of Renzo Piano’s cellar, moving onto the exhibition The Etruscans and Wine in Rocca di Frassinello in the cellar by Italo Rota, whose ancient finds exhibited in the museum adjacent to the barrel cellar bare witness to the art of winemaking, dating back almost three millennia in this area.
Contacts
Rocca di Frassinello
Loc. Poggio alla Guardia – Giuncarico Scalo (GR)
Telephone +39 0566 88400
www.castellare.it
In the Giuncarico area
Rocca di Montemassi (Zonin Family)
The estate, which covers 480 hectares, is located 33 km from Castiglione della Pescaia in an area that was the cradle of the Etruscans, at the foot of the metalliferous hills. It was in 1999, while passing through this area of the Maremma, that the Zonin Family fell in love with the estate and began an ambitious wine project in the Monteregio di Massa Marittima area. The Zonin Family invests heavily in this estate with the aim of reviving this wonderful land: producing intense, highly personal wines, capable of bringing the soul and scents of the Maremma to the world, restoring the history of these places, and enhancing the soul, the unique and incredible strength made of the stone and the light of Maremma. Thanks to the microclimate, the temperature range, the sea breeze, the mineral composition of the soil and the light, the grapes reach perfect ripeness. In fact, this area is now considered Italy’s new enology frontier.
Vineyards: The vines are trained using the cordone speronato method. The management of the vineyard, inspired by traditional peasant dexterity, aims to make the vines capture the maximum possible light energy, to keep their foliar apparatus in perfect efficiency, and to seek the vegetative-productive balance to ensure the high quality of the grapes. Over 180 hectares of vineyards at Rocca di Montemassi are dedicated to the production of two great indigenous Maremma wines, Sangiovese (red) and Vermentino (white) and to the production of other high quality grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. Thanks to the very peculiar light in Maremma, fantastic results are yielded by Viognier as well, a white of exceptional elegance. The Tenuta Rocca di Montemassi is one of the main producers of the Monteregio di Massa Marittima DOC which, in the span of a decade, became one of the most popular Tuscan wines in many international markets.
Winery: The heart of the company is the cellar, technologically avant-garde, which is an architectural reference to the glorious past as it fits in harmony with the environment, sitting precisely wehre the business center once was. It is equipped with the most modern winemaking technologies and has a room for refining wines in small and large wooden barrels.
Strengths: the hospitality and values of the Zonin Family.
Contacts
Rocca di Montemassi
Strada Provinciale Pian del Bichi, 58027 Montemassi (GR)
Telephone +39 0564 579700
www.roccadimontemassi.it
