Europe versus the rest of the world can be a divisive issue among wine lovers. Do you seek out appellations and their strict rules relating to grape varieties and quality? Then you’ll find solace in the vintages of Chablis, Chianti and Rioja. Are you for freedom of expression? Then you’ll prefer the wines of New Zealand and Chile, where producers are at liberty to make any wine style they choose.

Yet such arbitrary divisions can be misleading when it comes to wine. Not every European wine style is produced under strict supervision. It’s true that regions like Italy’s Chianti Classico are governed by a set of regulations—the wines must contain a minimum of 80% Sangiovese, and growers have to comply with regulations concerning yield and barrel ageing. These rules are used to safeguard quality and maintain the continuation of century-old practices. The rationale is simple: if consumers expect a certain style of wine from Chianti, then the authorities must ensure they get it.

Conversely, there is no long-established paradigm to enforce in the Maremma, a coastal region once abandoned to scrub and marshland.

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Climate and geography

Prior to the 1980s, few winemakers were interested in the ancient soils of Maremma. Fattoria Le Pupille owner Elisabetta Geppetti was one of the first pioneers, establishing her vineyard in 1985. Geppetti’s success has attracted other investors, including Eric de Rothschild (part of the family that owns Chateau Lafite) and the Antinori family. Today, the area under vine runs parallel to the Tyrrhenian sea, extending south from the port of Livorno to within touching distance of neighbouring Lazio. The number of vineyards and owners continues to proliferate, as others follow their example.

What do they encounter when they arrive? The region enjoys a typical warm Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and mild winters; it is rare to experience wet weather in the Maremma between May and September. The area’s clement, combined with the heady excitement of exploring a new region, encouraged growers to plant an expansive palate of grape varieties, including Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Such freedom would be unthinkable in appellations like Chianti Classico DOCG, which insists upon a far stricter regime. However, growers in young regions like Maremma Toscana are wary of being too prescriptive. In the Maremma, you’ll find a rich mosaic of microclimates, soil types (everything from sandstone to clay and silt) altitudes and elevations. This has led to a constant fine-tuning, as winegrowers attempt to match the perfect variety to a specific terroir (vineyard site).

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Wine classification system

Until 1992, producers in the Maremma did not market their wines under a recognised designation. Investors like Elisabetta Geppetti were still learning and newcomers did not wish to be told what they could, or could not plant. The introduction of an IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) designation for the Maremma appeared to be the best solution. The IGT classification gave wine producers enormous flexibility in terms of permitted grape varieties and yield, allowing them more freedom than was possible under the DOCG rules which govern Brunello di Montalcino further east.

Nevertheless, winegrowers were awarded their own DOC (appellation) in 2011. Mirroring the IGT designation, it is simply called Maremma Toscana. There are approximately 715 hectares producing Maremma Toscana wines, situated in the province of Grosseto. Membership of the appellation is not obligatory, although many properties work under the DOC framework. They benefit from an extremely flexible DOC—perhaps the most liberal in Italy.

The regulations permit growers to produce a diverse portfolio of wine styles, everything from sweet wines (known locally as Vin Santo) to mono-varietal reds and exotic blends. There is also considerable freedom inherent in the regulations which govern labelling. A property can either choose to display the key grape variety on the label (this must constitute a minimum of 85% of the final blend), or use one of three regional designations for red, white and rosé.

Grapes and wine production

A bottle of Maremma Toscana Rosso (red wine) must contain at least 60% of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Ciliegiolo, Merlot, Sangiovese and/or Syrah. The remainder can constitute up to 40% of the numerous other grape varieties planted in the region.

Meanwhile, Maremma Bianco (white) is made from 60% of either Trebbiano, Vermentino, and/or Viognier. The winegrower has free reign to determine the remaining 40%, as long as the grapes are in the permitted list. It’s far from restrictive. There are few regions in Italy where Sangiovese and Petit Verdot share space in the barrel cellar. In Chianti Classico, this would be strictly prohibited.

In 2020, the consorzio also decided to allow “bi-varietal” labelling for red and white wines. This is a real anomaly in Italian wine culture. There are few examples currently on the market, but it is possible for two varieties to appear on Maremma Toscanna labels. The first named variety may account for 50 to 85%, the second 15 to 50%.

This is an interesting experiment and another example of how Maremma Toscana is unfettered by traditions and conventions. It debunks the myth that all European wine styles are made to a strictly prescribed recipe. The truth is that Tuscany can produce wines as modern and exciting as any vineyard in New Zealand’s Marlborough region. Each Italian region adopts its own approach—a fact for which all wine lovers should give thanks. 100% Sangiovese wines made in Chianti Classico serve one audience, the Maremma’s Merlot/Syrah blends cater to another. One part of Italy focuses on long-established traditions, the other on developing a vinous identity based on celebrating diversity. Unlike other parts of Tuscany, high-quality sparkling wines have also become a successful niche here.

In wine, though, there are always caveats. Maremma Toscana DOC does insist upon certain conditions. The authorities will monitor alcohol levels (a minimum of 10% for white, rosé and sparkling styles, 11% for single-variety and blended red styles) and the ageing requirements. If a wine producer wishes to market a Riserva style, then the white grapes must be aged for a duration of one year before release. A Rosso Riserva will have been matured for at least two years—six months of that period will have involved barrel ageing.

After only 10 years of existence as a DOC appellation, it is inarguable that Maremma Toscana has become one of the most exciting wine zones in Italy today. Guided by a pragmatic yet liberal set of guidelines, the area’s top producers continue to experiment and explore their surroundings.

Their legal framework adopts the best elements of New World freedoms, and transports them to a gloriously unspoiled Tuscan paradise. The villas, cypresses, olive groves, vines, and woods would seduce even the most cynical of wine enthusiasts. And the flavours of coastal Maremma Toscana are unlike anything you’ve tried from central Italy. There is nowhere else in Europe blending Sangiovese with equal portions of Syrah and Petit Verdot.

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