The Mongibello delle Mandorlaie Vineyards

22/11/2021 Spirited

Our vineyards in Maremma are south of Scansano and close to Montiano, only eight kilometers from the seaside. Our adventure in Maremma started with our vision to produce wines that reflect this mediterranean and wild terroir and, subsequently, in 1999, our purchase of the beautiful piece of land known locally as “Mongibello delle Mandorlaie”. We have planted twenty hectares here to date, each with a density of 6,667 plants per hectare. Most of the vines are cordon-pruned, while a part of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Vermentino is guyot-pruned.

Grape varieties: Over the years we have planted nine different grape varieties: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alicante Bouchet, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Vermentino and Roussanne. We have also planted some small parcels of experimental grape varieties with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the terroir in Maremma.

Soil: The soil of the entire vineyard is characterized geologically by a kind of sandstone, with granit and volcanic layers below. The thick layer of sand and reddish ocher color characteristic of the local terrain are the result of the erosion of this sandstone. This type of land, particularly poor in nutrients and water, encourages the plants to root deeply.

Climate: The region has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and dry summers. Average yearly temperatures are around 16° C. The rainfall in southern Maremma is one of the lowest in all of Tuscany, with an average of 500 mm per year. Most of the rain falls during late autumn, winter and spring. Special to the area is also the high amount of sun hours, which is due to the lack of mountains and the exceptional mesoclimate with little rainfall and few clouds.

Agricultural practices: All our vineyards are certified organic and managed with the highest respect for the environment. Fertilization of the soil is carried out only with organic substances such as manure and green manure (seeding, growth, chopping and burial of leguminous plants such as field beans). Throughout the year, our skilled workers conduct all operations in the vineyards manually. To ensure a better quality grape, we keep the amount of grapes produced low through a variety of agricultural methods such as short-pruning in winter, a careful selection of the shoots in spring, and if necessary green harvesting in early summer. The harvest, of only the ripest and healthiest grapes, is done manually.

Harvest: The first variety to be harvested, at the end of August, is normally Merlot; followed by Alicante Bouchet, Syrah and Vermentino. In the middle of September, we start with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. The last grape to be harvested is Petit Verdot – which has shown outstanding results in our vineyards – at the beginning of October.

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