Italy is one of the largest producers of wines. Its climate, soil and very old traditions make Italy a natural wine growing nation. The wines are as personal as a name, as different as the colors of the rainbow and as much a part of Italian life as almost 3,000 years of tradition can make them. The Etruscans of North-Central Italy, who created one of the peninsula's earliest civilizations, left evidence of how to make wine. The Greeks who soon after established themselves in the South gave Italy the name Enotria (the land of wine). Tuscany (Toscana) is known mainly for Chianti, while Tuscany's wine of greatest stature is Brunello di Montalcino.
The fame of the excellent wines that began as Italian home-grown versions of Bordeaux has spread throughout the world of wine connoisseurs, but until recently the region itself was ignored by most visitors to Tuscany. Now though, more and more oenophiles are diverting to come to the pretty hills by the Mediterranean to discover the Maremma's secrets for themselves.
The whole of Southern Tuscany is crisscrossed with wine routes. You can visit the various cellars sampling the dark, rich wine produced by the region's grapes, but furthermore the routes take you through some of the most outstanding areas of southern Tuscany.

Holiday Accomodation

One of the best places to slow travel in Tuscany is the Maremma, with its exquisite nature, small hillside villages, its epic countryside, cuisine and excellent wines. Podere Santa Pia is located in a strategic position, only a short distance from a large number of sites of historical and cultural interest.
Going wine tasting in Tuscany is practically an obligation in this region of rolling vineyards and hidden, historic wine-properties. Podere Santa Pia offers a panoramic tour of the valleys that surround the farmhouse, so that the trip becomes a unique experience, discovering such prestigious or promising designations as Brunello di Montalcino, DOC Montecucco, Morellino di Scansano, Sant' Antimo and Monteregio di Massa Marittima.

Podere Santa Pia is situated in one of the most unspoiled areas of the Maremma Toscana: nestled between Montalcino and Scansano, Podere Santa Pia is surrounded by the "DOC Montecucco" vineyards, olive groves, woodland and green hills. Silence is broken only by the sounds of nature.

Podere Santa Pia was named after Pia de' Tolomei, a woman with an intriguing story. According to some legends, the beautiful Pia di Tolomei, Nello d'Inghiramo de Pannocchieschi's sorrowful wife, crossed the Ponte della Pia to go into exile in Maremma, at Castello della Pietra. There her husband ordered the execution of his innocent wife Pia, in order that he could marry his mistress Margherita Aldobrandeschi, Contessa of Sovana and Pitigliano.
Dante Alighieri wrote about this legend (Divine Comedy, Purgatorio, Canto V).

The Maremma is extremely different than Northern Tuscany. While the north boasts such spectacular cities as Florence, Siena and Lucca, the region also received hoards of tourists and can be uncomfortably crowded in high season, indeed even in low season. Wine regions in Northern Tuscany, such as Chianti Classico, have extremely well developed wine tourism and most cellars open to the general public. The Maremma, on the other hand, is far more exclusive. Few cellars open to the "general public" and the region is noticeably less touristy. This is why the Maremma, for serious wine lovers is such an attractive region to visit. Towns like Castiglione della Pescaia (with its charming fishing port and castle), Pitigliano (an amazing village completely carved out of the rocky outcrop below, an ancient Jewish village) and Massa Maritima (with its quaint cobblestoned, Medieval streets) are all fabulous little gems- they are virtually free of the crowds.Maremma is an extremely interesting sub region of Tuscany for food and wine lovers to visit. Although for centuries it was considered unfit for vineyards, in the past few decades this coastal area has become one of the most ultra exclusive wine producing regions of Italy. Therefore DOC Montecucco is one of the most promissing designation in Italy. (DOC : Denominazione di Origine Controllata – Trade name guaranteeing quality of wine. It was established in 1998 as an instrument of valorization and control which guarantees the consumer with the highest standards which characterizes Montecucco wines.

The principal wine villages in the Maremma are Bolgheri, Castagneto Carducci, Scansano, Cinigiano and Suvereto. Grapes used in Maremma wines include Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Vermentino, Cabernet Franc, Alicante and Aleatico.

DOC Montecucco is located in Southern Tuscany in the Maremma region which is particularly adapted to the elaboration of fine wines. Indeed DOC Montecucco borders such prestigious designation as Brunello di Montalcino, Morellino di Scansano, S. Antimo and Monteregio di Massa Marittima.

DOC Montecucco allows 5 different types of wines:

Montecucco Rosso: based on a minimum of 60% of Sangiovese it allows for a great freedom in terms of assembly with other vines. Rich and harmonious flavors characterize the Montecucco Rosso wine.

Montecucco Sangiovese: as indicated by its name, this wine is largely made from the reputed Tuscan vine Sangiovese, also known as Brunello in Montalcino. The Montecucco Sangiovese should be composed of at least 85% Sangiovese and is often found “in purezza” (100%). Distinctive and imposing this wine may be savoured “young”, but it will be best appreciated after a few years and will reach its full potential after 10 to 20 years.

Both these wine may also be found as Montecucco Riserva provided they have aged for two years of which at least 18 months in Oak barrels.

These three types of red wine along with two white wines, the Montecucco Bianco and the Montecucco Vermentino, make up the whole of the DOC Monteccuco designation.

* BIANCO (white wine) Grape variety: Trebbiano (minimum 60%) and others
* VERMENTINO (white wine) Grape variety: Vermentino (min. 85%)
* ROSSO (red wine) Grape variety: Sangiovese (min. 60%) and others; bottle ageing min. 6 months; min. alc. level 12%
* ROSSO RISERVA bottle ageing min. 24 months; min. alc.level 12,5%
* SANGIOVESE (red wine) Grape variety: Sangiovese (min. 85%); bottle ageing min. 6 months; min. alc. level 12%
* SANGIOVESE RISERVA bottle ageing min. 24 months; min. alc. level 12,5%

Roses in the Vineyard

In the Montecucco area, you'll frequently see roses planted along the edge of vineyards. Traditionally they've served as an early warning system to protect the grapevines — the equivalent of a miner's canary.
Roses also warn of other diseases and growing problems before they affect the grapevines, and they serve as a habitat for some beneficial insects that eat other undesirable insects.

And they're beautiful.

Biological or organic wine in southern Tuscany | Our neighbours

More and more wineries believe in maintaining the delicate chain of a balanced biological ecosystem and use organic or sustainable approaches to winemaking.
Proponents of organically grown wine believe that chemical farming destroys the uniqueness of the land, and the unique flavor that this 'terroir' imparts to the wine.

Events in Tuscany | Cinigiano, Festa dell'Uva

Montecucco Wine Trail

This trail is particularly rich in history, as the Castles of Monte Antico and Casenovole testify. We wind along a route not far from the River Ombrone, in an area once famous for wine-growing and which is today regaining it old splendor and vocation. The little towns of Pari and Casal di Pari, veritable rural gems, are a must, as is the charming spa of Petriolo, set in the Nature Reserve of Basso Merse.

Campagnatico - Cinigiano

Campagnatico is the starting point for this trail - this important Maremma town was even mentioned by Dante. The Civic Theatre, the Aldobrandesca Rock and the Pretorio Palace should all be seen. Views of olive groves and vineyards are splendid along this route, against the delightful backdrop of the Maremma plain. The unusual Palio dei Ciuchi (donkey race) is held every September.

Castiglioncello Baldini - Stribugliano - Cana

Sasso d'Ombrone - Cingiano - Monticello d'Amiata

This route through the Cinigiano area follows the old mountain road linking the plain with Mount Amiata, and thus linking corn with chestnuts. However, also the grape is ubiquitous here. Sasso d'Ombrone, originally Sasso di Maremma, is a little village on the River Ombrone, in which an unusual festival is held on the third Sunday of every September - the Festival of the Eel ! Ponticello Amiata is a well-preserved, historically interesting town with a delightful ethnographic "house-museum". Here the chestnut is king, and a festival is held in its honour onthe second sunday of every October.

Pdf | Download the map of the Strada del vino Montecucco

Strada del vino Montecucco Itineraries (it)

Podere Santa Pia Holiday Home Tour - YouTube