Picture seven journalists and two winemakers bouncing around in a Land Rover Defender in the wilds of Maremma. The scent of broom drifts in through the windows, the sun beats down and around each off-the-road bend span vineyards of varying shades of green. Val delle Rose is a valley of vinous delights two hours’ drive from Florence, distant enough to feel like a world away.
The Cecchi family bought the Maremma estate 20 years ago, but now they are taking a new approach to wine tourism with a penchant for hospitality, launching cellar and vineyard tours, wine tastings and, in the near future, accommodation.
“We were among the first to arrive in Maremma in 1996, when we bought 25 hectares of vineyards, which have grown to 180 today. We’ve seen the area and its appellations grow, and we’d like to add to this development,” commented Andrea Cecchi, who manages the company with his brother Cesare.
The vineyards are the stuff of wine lovers’ dreams, an authentic taste of rough and ready Maremma with an elegant contemporary Tuscan vein running throughout the estate. Local grape varieties flourish alongside international ones: Sangiovese, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colorino and Vermentino.
The Vermentino Litorale Maremma DOC is the perfect fit for a summer’s day: there’s more than a hint of Mediterranean salinity and a Saturnia peach or two. If red’s your colour, opt for new label Aurelio Maremma Toscana DOC: distinctly international thanks to the Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend, this ruby wonder is supple and sumptuous in the mouth, intense, heady and intoxicating. In a nutshell, the Maremma in a bottle.
What’s new at Val delle Rose are the strikingly innovative cellars, controlled with the latest technology and designed to welcome wine lovers into the place where the winemaking happens. Upstairs, the light parquet flooring, darker wooden panelling and cabinetwork pay undeniable tribute to the nearby forests of the Grosseto countryside, while coffee-table wine books yearn to be browsed and Cecchi’s stylish labels call to be sipped outside on the terrace.
Style, nature and skill: Cecchi’s Val delle Rose is a summer outing, a break from the beach or an escape from the city. Into the wilds and into the wine.
Summer 2016 events at Val delle Rose
All events cost 20 euro inclusive of a vineyard and cellar tour, wine tasting and food. Events start at 7.30pm. Reservations are mandatory.
June 18: “Station to Station” film screening with Lo Schermo dell’Arte film festival
Cecchi has been a long-time supporter of the international Lo Schermo dell’Arte Film Festival in Florence. Now, Cecchi hosts a film screening at Val delle Rose.
July 16: Theatre in a glass
The original touring theatre festival embracing wine and performances presents the comedy “Le Sommelier” by Freak Clown.
August 6: Divine Flamenco
A night devoted to dance with flamenco by Francesca Stocchi, where Cecchi’s wine are expressed through movement.
September 10: Boxroom music
Retro music night with band Musica da Ripostiglio, from swing with gypsy and French influences.
Val delle Rose
Località Poggio la Mozza, 58100 Grosseto
Tel. 0564/409062