Mantellassi farms in the Maremma, the coastal strip of southern Tuscany, and this is their Morellino di Scansano from the 2020 vintage. Morellino is the local name for Sangiovese, and the appellation demands it make up the great majority of any wine that carries the name.
- Sangiovese, called Morellino here.
- Morellino di Scansano, a Tuscan DOCG since 2007.
- 2020, a warm vintage across Tuscany.
- 13.5% alcohol, medium body.
- High acidity, medium tannin.
How it is made
Morellino di Scansano is a Sangiovese of the Tuscan coast rather than the inland hills. The rules of the appellation require Sangiovese to dominate the blend, and the wine is bottled young enough to keep the fruit forward and the structure gentle.
How it tastes
Red cherry and blackberry lead, with violet and a savoury note of leather behind them. The tannins are firm but soft-edged, and the acidity stays high, which is what keeps a warm-vintage Sangiovese from feeling heavy. Dry, medium in body, and generous on the finish.
Where it comes from
Scansano sits in the hills of the Maremma, the coastal south of Tuscany, where Sangiovese ripens under sea air and a longer, warmer season than Chianti sees inland. The wines tend to be rounder and more immediately open than their inland cousins.
Good to know
Morellino was for years sold as a simple country wine, and Scansano only earned its own DOCG in 2007. The grape is the same one behind Chianti and Brunello; the name changes with the place.
Contains alcohol.
