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Italian wine guides on Tuscany’s Maremma

November 12, 2011

This post is also available in: Italian

What I’m trying to do here is to put on a google map all the wineries (and all the wines) that have achieved at least one award from the main (according to me!) Italian wine guides.

In the last decade we have seen a multiplication, and in some instance, a radical change in Italian wine critic: some guides have chosen to follow a distinctive wine style (Espresso for more off-the-beaten-track wines,traditional style, etc., AIS Italian Sommelier and Gambero Rosso have a wider selection of wines made in different styles; Veronelli seems to have given more importance to non-appellation wines when it comes to Tuscany), others have chosen a wider and more holistic approach on wine production (Slowfood’s Slowine takes into account the whole winery and its production philosophy). Furthermore, there is been a multiplication of regional or specialized wine guides all over the country.

When it comes to 2012, this is the situation about Maremma

  • Gambero Rosso – Tre Bicchieri (tot. 376 – 62 in Tuscany – 5 in Maremma)
  • AIS Bibenda Duemilavini – 5 Grappoli (tot. 436 – 88 in Tuscany – 5 in Maremma)
  • Guida dei Vini dell’Espresso – Eccellenze (tot. 225 – 44 in Tuscany – 2 in Maremma)
  • Veronelli – Tre Stelle (tot. 557 – 163 in Tuscany – 4 in Maremma)
  • Slowine – Grandi Vini / Vini Slow / Chiocciole (tot. 216 Vini Slow, 36 in Tuscany, 3 in Maremma. 238 Grandi Vini, 40 in Toscana, 2 in Maremma. Tot. Chiocciole 173, 29 in Toscana, 2 in Maremma)

When I talk about Maremma, I mean the territory included in the Provincia di Grosseto (Bolgheri and Val di Cornia are not included)


View larger map

 

 

Two wineries have three award (red map mark)

Salustri

  • Tre Bicchieri Gambero Rosso 2012 -Montecucco Grotte Rosse 2008
  • Vino Slow Slowine/Slowfood 2012 – Montecucco Rosso Marleo  2009
  • Azienda Slowine 2012 (chiocciola)

Collemassari

  • Slowine 2012 – Grande Vino -Montecucco Rosso Collemassari Ris. 2008
  • Gambero Rosso 2012 – Tre Bicchieri -Montecucco Rosso Collemassari Ris. 2008
  • Bibenda AIS Duemilavini 2012 – 5 Grappoli -Montecucco Sangiovese Lombrone Riserva 2007

There are 5 wineries with two awards (green map mark)

Poggio Argentiera

  • Espresso 2012 Eccellenza – Capatosta Morellino di Scansano 2009 (18.5/20)
  • AIS 2012 5 Grappoli – Capatosta Morellino di Scansano 2009

Antonio Camillo

  • Espresso 2012 Eccellenza – Vallerana Alta 2009 Ciliegiolo
  • Slowine Slow Food – Vino Slow 2012 – Vallerana Alta 2009 Ciliegiolo

Altura, di Carfagna

  • Slowine 2012 – Vino Slow-Altura Ansonaco 2010
  • Azienda Slowine 2012 (chiocciola)

Castello di Vicarello

  • Bibenda AIS 2012 – 5 Grappoli -Castello Di Vicarello 2007
  • Veronelli 2012 -Castello Di Vicarello 2007

Conti di San Bonifacio

  • Veronelli 2012 -Docet Maremma Toscana 2008
  • Veronelli 2012 -Sustinet Maremma Toscana 2008

There are 7 wineries with one award (blue map mark)

  • Rocca Di Frassinello Tre Bicchieri Gambero Rosso 2012 – Baffo Nero 2009
  • Moris Farms Slowine – Grande Vino  2012 -Avvoltore 2009
  • Col di Bacche Gambero Rosso 2012 Tre Bicchieri Cupinero 2009
  • Fattoria Le Pupille Bibenda AIS 2012-5 Grappoli -Saffredi 2008
  • Rocca di Montemassi Gambero Rosso 2012- Tre Bicchieri -Rocca di Montemassi ’09
  • Castello Romitorio Bibenda AIS 2012 – 5 Grappoli -Morellino Di Scansano Ghiaccio Forte 2009
  • Rigoloccio Veronelli 2012 – Abundantia Merlot Maremma Toscana 2008

 

Some thoughts about it
-more awards are coming into Maremma’s wines: 23 against 20 of the previous year
-more wineries are awarded: 14 vs 12 of previous year
-new entries: Rigoloccio, Castello Romitorio, Rocca di Montemassi, Conti di San Bonifacio (congratulation to my friends Manfredo e Sara for the amazing results)
-not listed this year: Castello di Potentino, Sassotondo, La Selva. These are all good wineries and I’m sure they’ll be back nest year.
-the Morellino is still not on the map: only 3 Morellinos have been awarded out of 23 wines, with only two wine: my Morellino, the  Capatosta 2009 (of which I’m very proud) and the one of  Castello Romitorio (I haven’t tasted it yet)
-not many wines are made with local varieties : Ciliegiolo 2 wines  (Vallerana Alta 2009, other our wine, with Antonio Camillo), Sangiovese 6, Ansonica 1. There are 12 (tolte le 2 “chiocciole” che sono premi all’azienda piu’ che al singolo vino) wines awarded that are made with international varieties. Is this the real vocation of this land (I don’t think so).
-more wines from the North of the Provincia have been awarded (although no Monteregio appellation wines)
-the area of Poggi del Sasso (Salustri, Collemassari, Castello di Vicarello) confirms itself as one of the best terroir, especially for Sangiovese, in Maremma.
Generally speaking, I think this picture doesn’t describe the ENORMOUS potential of Maremma’s wines. Why?

- although the awards don’t agree with this, I believe that the potential lays in the local varieties:  Sangiovese, of course, but also Cilliegiolo, Ansonica, Vermentino,  Alicante ( Grenache, not the’Alicante bouschet).
-Maremma is wide, with a lot of different terroirs. The area of Montecucco, and in particular the one of  Poggi del Sasso, seem to be optimal for big and refined Sangiovese wines, nearly Brunello-style .The area of Scansano can offer another style of Sangioves, more Mediterranean, rich, elegant and refined, but only if it gives up the extra concentration, and the use and abuse of international varieties. I believe that the Capatosta can show the way in this sense. The Ciliegiolo and l’Alicante, can be very interesting, as the Vallerana Alta shows: drinkable, delicate, complex wines can be made here. The area of Pitigliano is probably the most underestimated and overlooked wine area in Italy. The potential to make terrific white wines is huge: tufo rock soils, altitude, old and interesting local varieties. Instead of planting Malbec here, some work could have been done on using and conserving varieties such as Duropersico, Verdello, Nocchianello. I takes some courage and determination, I think this area is great!
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