In the wild of the Maremma, is the pristine place where you can touch the stars, and dig your heels into the soft tuff near picturesque Pitigliano, chiseled onto a steep bluff.
What began as a dream to make a super Tuscan in 1997, ended in a love story with a lesser-known area of the Maremma that's still going strong after more than 20 years.
These were formative years when, we, as cousins from the fourth-generation, grew into our roles in the company as we built Poggio al Tufo. And it was also the first time our fathers entrusted us with an important project that is one of our most essential productions to date.
History
We came to Tuscany with ambitions to conquer vineyards in a prestigious wine region. Still, we fell in love with this farm near Pitigliano, and the incredible allure of its history and untamed nature.
It's difficult not to be impressed by the old wine cellars in the tuff bluffs dug by the ancient Etruscans that peer over wild green gorges, or the peculiar composition of the light volcanic tuff soil, set off against blinding clear blue skies.
Tenuta Rompicollo in Pitigliano is 66 hectares of vineyards and woods where we began producing our first Tuscan blends. The original rustic farmhouse was renovated and modernized for guests.
These were formative years when, we, as cousins from the fourth-generation, grew into our roles in the company as we built Poggio al Tufo. And it was also the first time our fathers entrusted us with an important project that is one of our most essential productions to date.
The Vineyards
Our award-winning Rompicollo is a Sangiovese- Cabernet Sauvignon blend. The position of these prime vineyards allows for later harvesting and full-ripening.
In the Rompicollo vineyards, we began the first detailed pedoclimatic research which would set the standard for the rest of our vineyards around Italy. We zoned and replanted vineyards with more suitable clones of native and international varieties included in the production rules for Maremma IGT wines.
Our award-winning Rompicollo is a Sangiovese - Cabernet Sauvignon blend. The position of these prime vineyards allows for later harvesting and full-ripening The remaining hectares are planted with the autochthonous Vermentino and Alicante.
At the organically certified Tenuta Doganella, we left a few existing hectares of Merlot and Chardonnay and replanted the remaining hectares with Sangiovese and Vermentino. Guyot is the vine training of choice for most of our vineyards, and, here, all the plantings are high density, at up to 6,500 plants per hectare, for low yields and quality fruit.
The Doganella and Rompicollo vineyards are on raised tufaceous plains. The light-coloured tuff comes from the soft, porous rock formed by the consolidated layers of ash from volcanic eruptions over 360.000 years ago. For modern-day viticulture, tuff is an ally. The sponge-like property of the soil makes it an excellent reserve of water during the dry summers. While there is no scientific proof, many expert tasters claim to taste a salty quality often described as "minerality".
The vineyards benefit from the mitigating effect of the Mediterranean sea and hot, dry summers, optimal conditions for Sangiovese, the areas most important grape.
The conformation of the land is varied at Tenuta Albore with different growing conditions. A large zoning project determined how to plant the vineyards without changing the topography or morphology. Sangiovese commands a lions share of the land, and Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Alicante Bouschet e Vermentino share the rest.
The climate in Scansano at Tenuta Albore, further inland, is hotter and drier. The hilly parts of the property have fertile clay soils, a cooling effect that make them ideal for fresher and early ripening wines like Merlot. The lower altitudes have sandier, well-drained soils.
The vineyards benefit from the mitigating effect of the Mediterranean sea and hot, dry summers, optimal conditions for Sangiovese, the areas most important grape.
The conformation of the land is varied at Tenuta Albore with different growing conditions. A large zoning project determined how to plant the vineyards without changing the topography or morphology. Sangiovese commands a lions share of the land, and Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Alicante Bouschet e Vermentino share the rest.
The climate in Scansano at Tenuta Albore, further inland, is hotter and drier. The hilly parts of the property have fertile clay soils, a cooling effect that make them ideal for fresher and early ripening wines like Merlot. The lower altitudes have sandier, well-drained soils.
