Tasting Report: Tuscany’s Surprising Maremma
The Maremma in Tuscany continues to have mainstay wine producers such as Le Pupille, Mazzei, and Brancaia who year in and year out produce excellent wines, and they released some outstanding wines this year.
Check out the photo of a bottle of the first vintage of Le Pupille’s legendary Saffredi – 1987. It was still drinking beautifully this spring. It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with some Alicante. Read my tasting note in the In My Lalique section.
They seem to be able to find ways to produce balanced wines every year regardless of how challenging the growing season of the region may be. In recent years, the Maremma has been very hot and arid, making slightly overripe wines if wine producers are not careful.
Some relatively new names and less popular names to watch from the region include Ampeleia, Fattoria di Magliano and Nittardi, although I always rated the last two well while covering Italy for The Wine Spectator. Ampeleia is a personal favorite since it is the Maremma project of the great winemaker of Trentino, Elisabetta Foradori.
The steadfast appellation of Maremma remains Morellino di Scansano, which is Sangiovese-based. I am not a huge fan of the appellation considering so many other regions make fresher and more refined Sangiovese, such as parts of Chianti and Montalcino. Yet, I found a number of outstanding Morellinos in my tastings.
I also found a delicious rosé from Terre di Talamo called Piano Piano. The 2011 is a bright, crisp, and delicately fruity rosé that reminds me of wines from the Côtes de Provence.
I included in this report mostly wines carrying the appellations of Maremma Toscana and Morellino di Scansano.
Included in the previous report (click for notes): 2009 Fattoria Le Pupille Maremma Toscana Saffredi 94 2009 Ampeleia Maremma Toscana 93 2010 Brancaia Maremma Toscana Ilatraia 93 Also tasted, but not receiving marks of 90 points or more: 2010 Ampeleia Maremma Toscana Kepos 2011 Barbi Morellino di Scansano 2011 Doga delle Clavule Morellino di Scansano 2011 Fattoria di Magliano Toscana Sinara 2010 Ghiaccio Forte Morellino di Scansano 2006 Guicciardini Strozzi Maremma Toscana A Solo 2009 Loacker Maremma Toscana Syrah Valdifalco 2010 Lohsa Morellino di Scansano 2010 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Maremma Toscana Terremore dell 'Ammiraglia 2009 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Morellino di Scansano Pietraregia dell'Ammiraglia Riserva 2011 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Morellino di Scansano Santa Maria 2010 Nittardi Maremma Toscana AD Astra 2011 Poggio al Lupo Morellino di Scansano 2010 Poggio alle Sughere Morellino di Scansano 2011 Poggio Argentiera Morellino di Scansano Bellomarsilia 2010 Poggio Argentiera Morellino di Scansano Capatosta 2010 Poggio Salvi Morellino di Scansano Vaio 2010 Querciabella Maremma Toscana Mongrana 2006 Radaia Maremma Toscana R 2011 Rocca delle Macie Morellino di Scansano Campo Maccione 2010 Rocca di Frassinello Maremma Toscana Ornelo 2010 Rocca di Montemassi Maremma Toscana 2010 Terre di Talamo Morellino di Scansano Tempo 2009 Tiziano Ciacci Maremma Toscana Mirus 2010 Valdifalco Morellino di Scansano