Terroir

Grape, terroir and microclimate of the Maremma – it doesn't get any better than this.

If not here, then where? The Maremma is undoubtedly considered to be the boom region of Italian viticulture and an insider tip that also produced the "Supertuscany" wines.  Here, in Pancole, in the commune of Scansano, our vines are growing at an altitude of 300 to 350 metres in classic Morellino conditions with a view of the islands of Elba and Corsica. This fertile land, with its special soil and climatic conditions, had already caused quite a stir in ancient Rome.

1. The soil of our wine estate

Natural and refreshed – that best describes the soil on which our vines are flourishing. Since the 1970s, the wine estate is cultivated purely biologically. In its upper layers, the healthy silt-clay soil with a high share of sand is characterised by its Galestro rocks and features a low lime content and organic substances.  Soil like this literally encourages vines to grow deep roots in search of water and mineral salts. And you can taste it: the complexity of the wines, their olfactory finesse and the structure at the palate.

2. The climate of Maremma

A unique microclimate is created by the protection offered from the mountains and the proximity to the Mediterranean with its warm updrafts. The winters are mild and tempered, the summers dry and extremely hot. Most of the precipitation occurs in the autumn while it hardly rains in the spring and almost never in the summer. This allows the plant to soak up the sun while the grapes develop and ripen. The result: Perfectly ripened and healthy grapes – the basis for wines.

3. The grape varieties of the wines of il Salotto

Traditional and a bit bold: Naturally, we keep things classic and cultivate the Sangiovese – probably Tuscany's most typical type of vine – for our Morellino di Scansano DOCG. However, the soil and microclimate of the Maremma are also gifting us the conditions that allow traditional grape varieties of the Bordelais to reach their full potential:  Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, or Cabernet Franc and Merlot for the red wine grapes. And then there are the whites, such as Sémillon and Chardonnay and the wonderful classic Viognier. A wonderful basis for our cuvées.

Meet Damiano Maurini, our man for top wines.

There is a great oenologist behind every great wine. And with Damiano Maurini, we were able to attract a fantastic oenologist to il Salotto. The graduate oenologist and agricultural engineer is a true insider of the region: He has been working in the best-known wine-growing regions of central Italy since 2003 – especially in Tuscany. He is wholeheartedly putting this expertise – and the willingness to experiment – to good use for us, for top wines and a completely ecological wine production.

Gestatten: Damiano Maurini, unser Mann für Spitzenweine.

Hinter jedem guten Wein steht ein guter Önologe. Und mit Damiano Maurini konnten wir einen fantastischen Önologen für il Salotto begeistern. Der Diplom-Önologe und Diplom-Agartechniker ist ein absoluter Kenner der Region: Seit 2003 arbeitet er in den bedeutenden Weinanbaugebieten Mittelitaliens und hier insbesondere der Toskana. Dieses Know-how setzt er aus vollem Herzen und mit einem ordentlichen Schuss Experimentierfreude für uns, für Spitzenweine und für eine rundum ökologische Weinherstellung ein.

``Naturally, we remain loyal to the Sangiovese. But there is always room for being a bit adventurous. That is why we at il Salotto are also experimenting with wines like the Chardonnay, which are almost visionary for the heat of the Maremma``.

Damiano Maurini