The wine that is a symbol of the breathtaking Tuscan Maremma will be celebrated in Scansano on May 9th.
The event that is organized by the Consorzio di Tutela is finally back with more than 40 producers of Morellino di Scansano. The focus of the event will be the new productive momentum of the denomination and its territory, which is a candidate to become one of the most exciting wine tourism destinations in Italy.
Discover the Maremma
Located in the southern portion of Tuscany, the Maremma lies between the provinces of Livorno and Grosseto, stretching along the coast and then rolling inland. Here, Roman ruins, walled-in villages, castles dating back to the Middle Ages, picturesque towns, thermal baths, and beautiful beaches caressed by the blue sea meet black rocks, gentle hills, marshes, and woods in a scene straight from a postcard. The area is also famous for its cuisine and red wine, Morellino di Scansano.
Morellino di Scansano
It is the Maremma’s special climate that makes the area so perfectly suited to viticulture. Here cooling sea breezes mitigate the hot summer sun that fills much of the growing season. The influence of the large diurnal temperatures that are drastically cooler at night during the summer and autumn create perfect levels of acidity in the grapes when they are ready to be harvested.
This wine that has been a DOCG since 2007 bearing the symbol of a horse – legend has it that the grapes of the area were named after the local horses used to bring carriages of officials to and from the town back in the 1700s – is a blend that by law must contain a minimum of 85% Sangiovese grapes. The remaining 15% can be Alicante, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Malvasia Nera, Canaiolo, Montepulciano, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, or Cabernet Sauvignon.
It presents with a deep ruby color and notes of cherries, dried plums, and potpourri. These are wines with great aging potential.
Rosso Morellino
Morellino di Scansano has been gaining increasing popularity, both in Italy and abroad, and the figures from the last few years attest to an evolution that places the territory of the denomination at the center of the scene. After last year’s online edition, on May 9th Rosso Morellino will be back in Scansano, at the Castagnoli theater and in the adjacent former elementary schools.
The colors and characteristics of Sangiovese di Maremma will finally be back in the spotlight as the Consortium and its producers meet trade operators, specialized press, and wine enthusiasts to taste the latest vintages of Morellino di Scansano and describe the future projects and activities of the production district.
With a history of more than forty years and a journey of valorization that has traced a course entirely oriented towards quality, today the red wine from Maremma is no longer a pleasant discovery but has become a solid reality, supported by the undisputed capacity of Sangiovese to age coupled with the area’s particular breeze brought by the sea that, caresses the vines of Scansano creating wines with distinctive aromas and nuances.
This is a land blessed with pristine bountiful natural beauty and rich earth capable of making wine as special as Morellino. Now, Scansano is ready to tell its unique story through the discovery of the different interpretations of its wine produced by the more than forty producers who will be participating at the event.
“At last we are returning to hold our event in person,” says Bernardo Guicciardini Calamai, president of the Consortium.” This will give us the opportunity to present the results of a strategy that, with perseverance and dedication, has allowed us to achieve significant results, despite the limitations of the last two years. In this edition of Rosso Morellino, we want to share the message that we look to the future with optimism. Our awareness, besides numbers that underline a strong interest in our wines, is to be more and more a reference denomination of Tuscany with a precise identity.”
“The uniqueness and the uncontaminated beauty of Maremma,” concludes Guicciardini Calamai, “are increasingly added values for the promotion of Morellino di Scansano and of the territory where it originates, as an attractive wine tourism destination.”
The event will be inaugurated with the presentation “Morellino di Scansano: new scenarios to discover the uniqueness of the territory” scheduled at 10 am at the Castagnoli Theater. During this moment, the representatives of the denomination will talk together with guests about the opportunities resulting from the further growth of Morellino di Scansano’s popularity. This official presentation will provide the opportunity to illustrate the initiatives that the Consortium intends to put in place in the near future in order to develop a competitive wine tourism proposal, ever more linked to the production, historical and naturalistic identity of this territory.
During these years, the Consortium, despite the limitations caused by the Covid-19 emergency, has acted as a coordinator for building synergy among local operators with the goal of giving greater focus to the area as a whole, by putting its distinctive values at the center, and developing an integrated offer tailored for everybody in order to give added value to the experience of the territory.
This strategy has already led to the realization of two important projects: Morellino Green, for increasingly sustainable mobility, and the Visitmorellino portal, which helps visitors build a personalized itinerary among the many gastronomic, natural, and scenic excellences. The portal’s new version, which will be unveiled at Rosso Morellino, features renewed content and a fresh layout.
Immediately afterward, in the nearby former elementary schools of Scansano, the different interpretations of Morellino di Scansano will take the stage. At 11.30 am, on the second floor, there will be the opening of a large tasting session, where producers will share with wine lovers the distinctive characteristics of Morellino di Scansano. While on the ground floor there will be two Masterclasses led by Filippo Bartolotta, journalist, and creator of wine tourism itineraries, who will take participants on a tasting journey to discover the landscapes and history of Morellino di Scansano.
The event is free and open to professionals and wine lovers alike. In order to participate, it is necessary to request an accreditation on the website of the consortium.