Val di Cornia is a coastal wine region located south of Livorno in central Italy's picturesque Tuscany region, in close proximity to the famed Bolgheri DOC. This area was recognized for its quality in 1989 when it was awarded a DOC classification, although since then, the rosso form (including its aged riserva variant) has been upgraded to the more prestigious DOCG status.
The list of grape varieties permitted here are not particularly surprising – Sangiovese is the dominant variety and must make up at least 40% of the rosso and rosato wines, with the remainder made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a mix of other varieties permitted in Tuscany. Vermentino is the key variety in Val de Cornia Bianco wines, and must make up at least 50% of the blend, with Ansonica, Viognier, Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia making up the rest. On top of this, the DOC permits varietal wines for its key grape varieties – both red and white.
The officially delimited zone covers the parishes of Suvereto, Sassetta, Piombino, San Vincenzo, Campiglia Marittima and Monteverdi Marittimo. The DOC includes a sub-zone, Suvereto, which can be mentioned specifically on the label.
