Antinori: "Excursion to taste the future" - Essence and symbiosis with the enviroment.

A jewel that the Antinori family has opened the campaign of Castiglione della Pescaia (GR) Maremma Toscana between vineyards, orchards and cork-trees.

Today we go to visit, as they like to call its authors and its interpreters, "the farm of the future." In fact, in complete osmosis with the surrounding countryside, you come into contact with the tradition, but believe me wet every where innovation. A 'farm overlooking the sea which is really a step, where the "physical" there is very little and the 360 ​​degrees speaks only of crops and Mediterranean, then fortunately you are taking and make you come in as a science fiction movie in a hidden door in a hillside .. and here we start our hike.

Stepping through the door you enter the circular room really huge, they are furnished with a glance down the aisle for the wards of the cellar, and there at the bottom of a "big window", perhaps the best picture that we have available for our eyes: vines that stretch as far as the eye surrounded by high hills as if they were guardians. Irene has accompanied me for that Fabio is the Antinori family, manger for all farm and it greets me with a smile: "This cellar thanks to its architecture allows us to leverage the best technologies for the production of our wines.

A production cycle are determined "to fall" starting from its upper parts and proceeding down. A fantastic condition for the production of grapes arrive at the overpass, and down you follow all the processes of fermentation, aging in the basement up. "The visit will not open my mouth, listen and look almost with a" nosense "are confused the details, the cleanliness, the quiet. I explain that the daylight factor is decisive, and access to various floors, winding staircase with a helical form, allowing their intersection from any viewing angle providing the essential functionality. The wood is everywhere, supported by pieces of steel, but inside, out of the cellar is completely covered with earth and vegetation. "All elements - Fabio continues - that allow us to work in each phase with the almost total control with fewer energy consumption, and ensuring high standards of production. The water used in the same processes are re released to the environment thanks to a natural cycle of phytoremediation, tested and patented The Mortelle and only for this, a system of active biological treatment in which a special porous volcanic rock (and not normal stones) amplifies, through its networks of cavities, the exchange between water and oxygen, also the plants 'scavengers' are assisted in their function used by bacteria and mycorrhizae. "Well, this is environmentally sustainable! "Sure, everything is centered on this, compared to the old organizational models in agriculture, we are making an effort that allows us to avoid wasting resources, and especially the aim is to recycle wisely: this is the concept and philosophy that the Antinori family has married with this farm. " Surrounded by the magic of the barrel in the basement rocks with magical back-to-face view of the "big window" to taste the first productions. 

I hook a visiting foreign guests who say thrilled is an understatement. Here is a glass of Vivia (White Maremma DOC) Vermentino, Viognier and Ansonica vines that are typical of the Tuscan coastal area. The Viognier was hand selected and planted after years of patient experimentation. Really beautiful scents of fruit in general, but to me, that does not have sommeliers, more I can not say. Taste of Tuscany Maremma Rosso IGT BOTROSECCO, here we are on Cabernet Sauvignon with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. Balsamic aromas dominate the nose and a hint of vanilla and fruit, however, even here, in the mouth it is soft and persistent. An engraved on the selection of all major packaging materials: glass lighter and environmentally-friendly packaging. So we are in an important addition to farm 15 acres of orchards "organic" has a cork and a new historical system of cork, about 10,000 plants are very important for the balance of the environment. A natural reserve of oxygen throughout the year, needed to maintain and create a real "clean". But the company is also something else, tell me about the great crop of fruit to avoid losing the history of the original farm and the production of jams and preserves which are really a beautiful discovery. Fruits of many kinds, with blueberries on everything and it was really nice to give my palate a zap jam Blueberry, Peach, of Nectarines, Pears and Grapes. That is, a great place for what is already there now and what we will in the near future.

Fattoria Le Mortelle

Loc. Ampio

58043 Castiglione (GR)

Maremma Toscana - Italy

Info: mortelle@antinori.it –

Phone +39 0564 944003 -  Mobile +39 347 4610704

The Shop is open in summer daily from 10:00 to 13:00 and

17:00 to 19:00.