The coastal, hilly area of Monteregio di Massa Marittima is found in the province of Grosseto, in the Maremma area of Tuscany, central Italy. It gained its DOC status in 1994 and takes its name from Massa, the main town, and its castle, Monteregio, which dates back to the tenth century. The municipalities of Roccastrada, Massa Marittima, Scarlino, Follonica, Monterotondo Marittimo, Gavorrano, Castiglione della Pescaia and the community of the Colline Metallifere are also included in this classified zone.
Monteregio is made up of 1085 acres (430ha) of vineyards, which are found at an altitude of 380m (1246ft) above sea level. Thanks to the area’s special microclimate, with cool breezes tempering the heat from the Tyrrhenian Sea and the mineral- and clay-rich soils, the wines display unique organoleptic qualities.
This appellation is reputed for its innovative and experimental winemaking and produces nine different styles. The most prominent is the white varietal made from Vermentino. This grape also forms part of the bianco wine, alongside Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca, and all three dominate the white vin santo wines (a special dessert wine that varies in sweetness from bone dry, like a fino sherry, to extremely sweet).There is also a rose (rosato) known as Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice ('eye of the partridge'), an intense and full-bodied wine. Both the bianco and rosato can have the added designation of riserva.
Tuscany’s hero red grape, Sangiovese, makes up at least 80% of the rosato and the rosso wines, with the possibility of a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon; these wines are also produced as a novello and an aged riserva. Here Sangiovese tends to produce wines with a sweeter and rounder character.
