The Maremma is one of those regions you are tempted not to tell even close friends about, lest it starts to draw in hordes of visitors. Despite its proximity to Rome (only an hour and half or so drive away), it feels a world away from the hustle and bustle and well-trodden parts of Tuscan wine areas most celebrated for big, showy wines with fancy prices to match.
We are here as the guests of the Cantina Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano winery, the local cooperative founded in 1972 and one of the area’s biggest producers. From the start its ambition was to go for quality, not bulk - and its mission now is to get its 170 producers the recognition their wines - red, white and sparkling - deserve.
First and foremost is the red Morellino di Scansano Riserva DOCG, made in the hilly environs of the village of Scansano with Morellino being the local name for Sangiovese. Scansano was granted DOC status in 1978, then upgraded to DOCG status beginning with the 2007 vintage.
The Morellino di Scansano wine appellation boasts excellent terroir, both in terms of soil and climate. With its vineyards located on the coastal hills beside the Tyrrhenian Sea at an altitude of 100-350 metres, the region enjoys the perfect climate for vine-growing, including abundant sunshine and cool sea breezes balancing the summer heat.
Then there is the lesser status but much larger Maremma Toscana DOC which covers the whole area of the Scansano DOCG and also stretches on as far as the sea. The Cantina makes reds, whites and sparklings.
Cantina director Sergio Bucci overlooking Maremma down to the sea
Internet of Things
The recently renovated winery, tasting room and bottling plant, producing no fewer than five million bottles a year, are spotless. And the place bristles with modern machinery and an impressive array of IT monitors.
Working with the University of Tuscia and the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa, the Cantina’s agronomist uses internet-of-things technology to monitor all of the 700 hectares of vineyards, hour by hour. Grape growers are told what actions they need to take – applying treatments, for example – through email alerts.
Archaeological site with evidence of ancient Etruscan technique of growing vines up trees
Etruscan roots
Centuries ago the region’s potential was discovered by the Etruscans (way before the Romans) in the 3rd century BC. We visit the archaeological site of Aia Nova on a cycle ride through the vineyards and interestingly see evidence of the Etruscan technique of growing vines up and along lines of trees, rather than staked in the grounds.
Cantina Vignaioli Morellino di Scansano is the perfect example of where, despite being in a somewhat rural backwater, investment has brought in the latest equipment and technology and the drive for quality is impressive. They are now reaping the rewards.
The Cantina first became a trailblazer for the region in the early 1980s.
“Early on we took the bold step to invest in the quality of our wines despite the fact that the market at the time favoured large quantities,” says director of the cooperative, Sergio Bucci.
The producer’s extensive range (the names are a little baffling for those ignorant of Italian pronunciations) includes everyday drinking wines. But in our vertical tastings, we also see that some of the wines can age well – and complement a cuisine of fine pasta dishes, fresh local seasonal produce, including wild boar, and rich and delicious local cheeses.
The full Cantina Vignaioli Morellino di Scansano range
The I Classici range of wines expresses the terroir most strongly. Pre-eminent is the Morellino di Scansano which in this DOCG, Sangiovese must comprise 85% of the grapes, the remaining 15% can be one of several designated non-aromatic black grape varieties.
The Cantina also grows the Ciliegiolo grape (named from the colour similar to ripe cherries) often blended with Sangiovese and more recently vinified as a single variety. Then there is Alicante that gives a richer colour when blended with Sangiovese in the Morellino di Scansano.
The Morellino is the epitome of an under-the-radar wine. The Riserva Sicomoro Morellino di Scansano DOCG (100% Sangiovese) is a fine example of how well the wines age. It is concentrated ruby red, with spicy notes of cherry and fruits of the harvest, full bodied with elegant tannins balanced by warmth and softness.
Meanwhile, the Riserva Roggiano Morellino di Scansano DOCG 2022 (mostly Sangiovese) has a bouquet of dark fruits, spices and forest floor and shows round tannins and a nice softness. This is the wine which has caught the eye of UK supermarket buyers looking for something relatively unknown, good quality but also good value at, one imagines, a price point of around £20.The reds tend to between 14% to 15% ABV.
But we also have whites to taste including Vermentino, made as a still and a brut sparkling wine with Viognier also used in blends.The proximity to the sea allows the grape variety to impart elegant marine and savoury notes.
We taste the white wine Vermentino Vigna Fiorini Vermentino Maremma Toscana DOC (Vementino 85%, Viognier 15%) in a vertical ranging from 2017 to a preview of 2024. It is a dry white wine with deep gold nuances - characterised by scents of broom, golden delicious apple, and acacia honey and evolves well. On the palate it is dry with a typical sapidity of Vermentino and a long fruity finish.
The Vermentino Superiore San Bruzio Maremma Toscana DOC reaches its full potential two to three years after harvest. Full bodied, it stands out thanks to its structure, sapidity and freshness with a long mineral finish.
Sparkling wines are also part of the portfolio, ideal for our trip through the Parco de Maremma nature reserve in a horse-drawn carriage followed by a beach picnic on a deserted cove. We taste the San Rabano Brut Sparkling (made from Vermentino and Chardonnay).
In the Podere l’Aione farmhouse restaurant with distant views out to the sea we also savour the deliciously light rosé sparkling (Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo) with a lovely Provençal colour.
So is Maremma now part of premium wine country in Tuscany? It may not yet compete with those fancier names, but it is certainly heading fast in the right direction.
The Cantina Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansanowines are available in the UK through Cave.
