You may be most familiar with the Sangiovese from Tuscany used in the esteemed Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines, but what about Sangiovese from southern Tuscany? If you’re a lover of Sangiovese like I am, than the Maremma of southern Tuscany is a must try and visit.
Where is the Maremma
The Maremma is located in the southwestern part of Tuscany in the province of Grosseto. If you’re a lover of unspoiled beauty and nature, the Maremma covers a vast landscape with an abundance of forests and hills. If it also filled with a sunshine drenched coastline for those that adore the beaches and relaxation in the sun.
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| Copyright of Moris Farms |
Sangiovese produced in the Maremma is also called Morellino. The Morellino di Scansano appellation is named after the medieval town itself in which the grape is primarily grown, in Scansano. It was granted DOC status in 1978 and upgraded to become a DOCG in 2007. The territory covers over 160,000 acres of land in the hills running north to south and 15 miles across the eastern plains of Albinia out to the Grosseto plains and the Tyrrhenian Sea. You’ll find two rivers: Ombrone in the north close to Scansano, and the Albegna in the south.
The area in which Morellino di Scansano is produced receives the breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea, which helps to mitigate the temperature and its location also helps to protect it from the cold northernly winds.
Morellino di Scansano is made from a minimum of 85% Sangiovese and up to 15% other red grapes allowed in Tuscany can be utilized in the blend.
What’s the difference between Sangiovese used in Morellino di Scansano from southern Tuscany in comparison to its northernly neighbors in Tuscany? The wines of Morellino tend to be rounder, savory, with a rustic side along with showing freshness and ripeness of the grapes. These wines tend to be fresh and lively and display red fruits including cherries and plums. You’ll also note some spices, cedar and maybe even some leather.
The Winery ~ Moris Farms
I’ve been sitting on a wine I’ve been wanting to try for some time, a 2019 Moris Farms Morellino di Scansano DOCG. This winery started their first bottling of Morellino di Scansano in 1981, a few years after the DOC was established.
This wine hails from Moris Farm’s Poggio La Mozza Estate in Scansano. This estate was acquired back in 1971 by Gualtier Luigi Moris, which covers about 135 acres of land, with about 86 acres dedicated to vineyards. This vineyard is located on the hills between Grossetto and the Tyrrhenian Sea. The grapes used to be transported to their Poggetti Estate until the son-in-law, Adolfo Parentini, in 1981 started the cantina and began to produce the wines directly at Poggio La Mozza.
Adolfo was a founding member of the Morellino di Scansano Consorzio and one of the pioneers, along with other local producers, on the development of the DOCG designation.
The wine
The 2019 Moris Farms Morellino di Scansano DOCG is made from 90% Sangiovese along with 10% Merlot and Syrah. The grapes are macerated for 15 days and fermented in stainless steel for 4 months with an additional 2 months spent in the bottle. These wines can be released as soon as March after the harvest.
This wine was a transparent ruby color with garnet hues. Dark cherry notes on the nose with baking spices and a slight earthiness. Medium-bodied and smooth on the palate with subtle tannins showing nice elegance. Rich cherry notes lend to a rustic, earthiness in the glass with moderate acidity. 13% ABV, $15-18 SRP
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How to reach the Maremma
Grosseto is the main hub of the Maremma to use as your travel destination. If you’re flying in you can fly into either Rome and travel north or the Pisa and Florence airports and head south. If you’re coming by train or bus, head for Grosseto and go from there. You can easily reach the Maremma from the north by highway SS1. This is the less scenic route, but will allow you to travel from a farther distance and is therefore the easiest. If you’re coming from within Tuscany heading from Florence or Siena in the north you can take the more scenic route on the SS223.
Importer: Ideal Wine & Spirits
You can find many a variety of Morellino di Scansano wines on Wine.com to try. I may receive compensation for any wines purchased through the affiliate link in support of Vino Travels.