When we think of Tuscany, the image that often comes to mind is the beautiful hill country, graced with vineyards, villages, and farms. We think of the cathedrals and Renaissance art of Florence, the medieval walls and ramparts of Sienna, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
But there is another Tuscany, an area that stretches itself low along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea between Rome and Florence. It is known for its own charms: sandy beaches, Etruscan ruins, hot springs, and inviting villages.
This other Tuscany, as the Italians refer to it, is known as Maremma, a once-swampy region that was first drained for cultivation in the late 17th Century. Today it is a patchwork of vineyards, pastures, and small towns, and is a change of pace from the higher-altitude inland areas of the province.
As in other areas of Tuscany, the Sangiovese grape thrives here, and even overgrows if one is not careful to rein it in. Sangiovese is often referred to as a terroir-expressing grape, as it adapts to and reflects the area in which it is grown, making the results in sunny, rocky, mineral-rich Maremma different from those one encounters in the higher altitude inland regions.
It is in this region that we met with Simone Castelli of Podere 414 Winery, in the city of Magliano. The winery is surrounded by woods, which provide a natural filter between this area and the sea. They get to enjoy the wind but do not experience the corrosive salt air.
Simone describes Podere 414’s wines as simple and generous, “Simplicity means to have a clear idea about what to do. I need a nice color, a round body, full body. I need to reduce a little bit of tannins, and I need to produce a wine that is good to age. I need to produce a wine where the balance between fruit, wood, and spice is ok. So finally, if I want to give a simple result, I have to work a lot.”
Restaurateur and wine expert Marco Stevanonni adds that he loves this area and the wines it produces. Describing the wines of Maremma, he says, “They always have a warmth, a level of everydayness, a level of fruit and simplicity that comes with an elegance that makes relax. When I drink this wines, are extremely easy, they make me at ease… they’re not complicated, but they’re very gentle.”
Podere 414 Winery produces 150,000 to 180,000 bottles a year. Castelli is concerned about growing the production beyond this point because he does not want the quality of the wines to suffer – consistent results are an absolute must.
One of Podere 414’s popular wines is a rosé known as Flower Power that is made by the bleeding method, in which some of the liquid is removed from the tank to intensify the color. Rosé is now trending in popularity in this area and appeals to many because it is lower in alcohol.
One of his new wines is a white wine made with a traditional grape – the Trebbiano. He describes it as “an experimentation, just to see what will happen.” Most of his wines contain a variety of Sangiovese which produces simple, long-aging wines.
Podere 414’s flagship wine is the Morellino di Scansano DOCG, a representative wine of the region showcasing what Maremma is capable of. Castelli describes it as medium to full body, medium to long aging, and accented by a little bit of sweetness from the softness of the tannins.
Overall, Castelli believes that those who produce wine only as a business will fail. True quality comes from knowing the land, having a close relationship with those who work it, and being willing to get your hands and feet dirty with the day-to-day work of bringing forth the best nature has to offer in Maremma – the other Tuscany