2022 Ampeleia "Unlitro" Costa Toscana, Tuscany, Italy

ABOUT THIS WINE

Unlitro is produced from a blend of Alicante Nero, Carignano, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese and Alicante Bouschet grapes coming from the youngest vineyards close to the sea. It reflects the desire to express the territory in a lighter and more immediate way, without losing any of its character.   Harvested and vinified separately, a small part of the harvest undergoes carbonic maceration (10%), the rest is whole-bunch or crushed. Macerations on the skins 2-3 days, then aged for six months in cement tanks.  

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

The Ampeleia estate began life in the 1960s when abandoned land was bought by a Swiss couple, Erica and Peter Max Suter. Turning it into an agricultural estate, the couple bred sheep and pigeons and planted the first vines, including the introduction of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

In 2002 the estate was taken over by Elisabetta Foradori, Thomas Widmann and Giovanni Podini, who wanted to demonstrate the diversity and potential of Maremma, particularly in the Colline Metallifere mountains. In 2009 the team began converting their largest area of land from organic to biodynamic farming and have been gradually extending that practice to the rest of their estate. Although they own around 120 hectares of land, only 35 hectares are currently under vine; such is the team’s dedication to maintaining the landscape and its biodiversity. This land is spread over 3 distinct altitudes, each with different soils and used to grow different grape varieties, reflecting the local tradition of planting multiple varieties in each plot. Marco Tait has been responsible for the winemaking since the beginning of the project and continues to do so with minimal intervention, aiming to preserve the essence of the fruit and the expression of the land.