Visit to Val delle Rose a Cecchi Winery in the Maremma Toscana.

It was one of the hottest day on record July 14th 2023 as we drove into the beautiful Estate Val Delle Rose of the Cecchi family .. a winery in the Maremma Toscana. It was 230Pm and there werent too many people around and we were welcomed by their expert Guide and Sommelier for our lunch e wine tasting experience. Under a beautiful Olive tree I could admire in the distance the gorgeous rolling hills , the typical landscape of Tuscany. The beautiful rustic building on our left was a good indication of the gorgeous winery visit that would have followed the lunch.

In 1996, Cecchi purchased the Val delle Rose winery in the small town of Poggio la Mozza, which lies at the productive heart of Morellino di Scansano. At the time of its acquisition, Val delle Rose counted on 25 hectares under vines.

The Cecchi intervention was comparable to a minor farming revolution, as the agricultural techniques used till then did not ensure the batch-to-batch consistency needed for the viability of a winery.

The study of the soil available - a practice that was then carried out by many other companies in the Maremma - revealed the enormous potential of this terroir, so much so that the company decided to extend the land under vines up to about the current 100 hectares. Here, the star varietal is Sangiovese.

We tasted 4 wines from white to rose to red :

Litorale a white Maremma Toscana Doc

Tasting notes: Vermentino is a grape variety capable of giving excellent results in coastal areas, in sunny lands, just as the Maremma, so much so that Litorale perfectly interprets the territory from which it comes. The grapes are the first to be harvested at the end of August and first week of September. Its colour is pale yellow with light golden hues, has a very intense fruity aroma of summer ripe fruit. On the palate there is an important aromatic note combined with a pleasant persistence. It is 'a generous and intense wine, with great structure and freshness.

Serve with fish dishes, seafood and risottos.

The second wine served

Litorale Rosato

Appellation: Rosato Maremma Toscana DOC Production area: Maremma Toscana Vintage vintage 2019

Number of bottles 6.000

Grapes: 100% Sangiovese

Average altitude of the vineyards: 150 Meters s.l.m. Soil type: Alkaline sandstone

Yield per hectare: 70 q

Density of planting: 5000

Pruning system: Spurred cordon

Vinification: white with light pressing Fermentation Temperature: 14-16 ° C Fermentation Time: 16 days

Aging: Minimum 2 months in bottle

Serving temperature: 10-12 ° C Alcohol content: 12,5 %

Organoleptic notes: Litorale Rosato is characterized by its natural freshness and varietal typicality.

Pairings: Suitable as an aperitif or paired with pasta first courses, vegetarian preparations or fish dishes with intense flavors.

Cobalto that is their high level white wine always made from The Vermentino grape:

Tasting notes: Cobalto was born from the desire to translate the excellent features of the various terroirs of the Val delle Rose into a great white wine. The Vermentino grapes come from selected vineyards and the Cobalto 2017 is the result of an outstanding vintage. The first edition of Cobalto presents itself with intense colour and an excellent brilliance; at the nose expresses all its complexity. The interweaving of the fruity notes of the fermented fraction in steel and the sapidity and minerality conferred by the amphora, are exalted in a masterly way with the finely toasted notes of the wood, until it merges into an explosion of aromatic herbs that recall the complexity of the Macchia Mediterranea. The mouth is wide and juicy, perfectly reflecting the sunny season, with the sweetness and softness conferred by the wood and the typical salty note of the amphora. The progression is vibrant, supported by a very well- integrated acid vein.

Serve with fish dishes, seafood and risottos

We then moved into the reds with their Morellino di Scansano wine.

Tasting notes: the perfect representation of Sangiovese from the Maremma, here blended with other complementary grapes.

The vines enjoy the best climatic conditions, steady breezes balanced with an almost continuous exposure to the sun.

The excellent level of grape maturity and the modest yield per hectare ensure elegant and well structured wines.

Vinification begins with cold pre-fermentation maceration and is then followed by a temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel. This is followed by a few months aging in French oak barrels and subsequent bottle refinement.

Val delle Rose Morellino di Scansano has a bright red color with violet hues. The aroma is fruity, with intense notes of wild cherry that are typical of this varietal. They add a richness and pleasant sharpness.

On the palate, it is smooth and full flavored with ample body and supple tannins.

Serve with: Maremma tortelli and cheeses; a wine that goes well with the entire meal.

We finally finished with Ciliegiolo made from the Ciliegiolo grape, this grape was in the past used as blending partner of Sangiovese until recently when a varietal wine was created from 100% Ciliegiolo grape.

Appellation: Maremma Toscana Ciliegiolo D.O.C Area of production: Maremma, Tuscany Harvest / Vintage 2017

Number bottles 6.000

Altitude: 150 mt above sea level

Soil Composition: Feldspalthic quartz sandstone, largely siliceous Tonnes of grape per hectare: 4 Tonnes

Plant per hectare: 5000

Pruning technique: Spurred Cordon

Vinification: Traditional red-wine vinification temperature- controlled on skin

Method of fermentation: Stainless Steel

Fermentation temperature: 25 °C

Length of Fermentation and maceration: 16 days Service temperature: 16 ° C

Alcoholic content: 13,5 %

Tasting notes:

Ciliegiolo has very intense aromas with mineral notes, accompanied by well-defined cherry and plum.

Serve with: Meat sauce, red meats and medium aged cheese

After the wine tasting we moved inside the winery itself and it's high technology wine making techniques. From the Steel Vats to the Barrels and the Anphores . A perfectly made wine.