Cantina del Morellino
Tuscany - Italy
The Winery
While August imports' tendency is to work with single estates, every now and again we come across a truly outstanding co-op like the Cantina del Morellino. They are a family-owned, interconnected network of exceedingly small growers, virtually all of them multi-generational and married to the land. With an average of just 4 hectares apiece, each of the 170 participating farmers treats their vines with the utmost reverence. Harvest times are micromanaged by their agronomist, and chief enologist Paolo Caciorgna, a native Tuscan, keeps personal tabs on all sites. This allows him to direct specific parcels to an array of smaller projects, and to trace the origins of any given wine. On top of all this, the Cantina is wholly devoted to sustainable farming - even when the word ‘organic’ does not appear on the label - and their yields in some cases drop down to 1 bottle per plant (incredibly low for a co-op).
The hilltop town of Scansano lies about 15 minutes inland from Tuscany’s SW coastline – roughly halfway between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the extinct volcano, Mount Amiata. While hilly and fairly high in altitude, this area has a long history of agricultural development (pasture, olive and vine), and is therefore a little less wild and rugged than other parts of the Maremma. Drenched in sunlight, Scansano shares the same latitude as central Abruzzo (think La Quercia), and the Sangiovese from this region tends to be a bit fruitier than further north. Sweeter tannins and riper, darker cherry components help define the red wines, not least of all when the Morellino clone of Sangiovese comes into play. Historically speaking, Scansano was first inhabited by the Etruscans, followed by the Romans and eventually the Grand Dukes of Lorraine, who vacationed each summer in the town's gorgeous, storybook landscape.

- Enologist
- Paolo Caciorgna
- Grapes Grown by Winery
- Alicante, Ciliegiolo, Sangiovese, Trebbiano Toscana, Vermentino
- Vineyard Size
- 700.0 ha
- Winemaker
- Paolo Caciorgna
- Winemaker Biography
- Located just inland from the Tuscan coastline, the Cantina del Morellino is a true co-op that distributes profits to its 170 participating families. The average land holding is tiny - just 3 hectares - and sustainable farming remains the undying mantra.
- Winemaker Generation
- 2nd

Cala Civetta Sangiovese Toscana IGT
Cantina del Morellino is our favorite Tuscan cooperative. It is a family-owned, inter-connected network of exceedingly small growers, virtually all of them multi-generational and married to the land. Chief enologist Paolo Caciorgna is a master of his craft, and one of the true experts in native Tuscan varietals. Here, his Sangiovese and Alicante blend provides a pleasing melange of tart, dried cherry and liquid smoke, along with a faint chalkiness and a finish that is pleasingly dry and briny.
- Color
- Light ruby
- Nose
- Dark cherry, with a hint of chalk and earth
- Palate
- Vibrant and tangy cherry, with a hint of smoke
- Finish
- Pleasantly dry, medium finish
- Vineyard Location
- Toscana IGT, Tuscany
- Vineyard Size
- 5 ha
- Varietals List
-
90% Sangiovese
10% Alicante - Farming Practices
- Organically farmed (non-certified), dry-farmed, and picked by hand
- Elevation
- 250 m
- Soils
- Sandy and stony soil
- Maturation Summary
- Bottled for 3 months
- Alcohol
- 13.0 %
- Acidity
- 5.1 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 2.3 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 50,000 bottles
Cala Civetta Trebbiano Toscana IGT
Trebbiano is one of the most prolific and widely planted varietals in Italy, even in the DOC zones. It has been described by Jancis Robinson as the “crisp mouthwash” of Central Italy, and most of the time, it is about as memorable as a boy-band pop song. In this case, the Cantina at Morellino delivers something lovely, even special, with its Cala Civetta. Low-yields (about 1200g per plant), vine age (oldest planted in the 90’s), and unusual skill combine to offer an affordable, delicious wine that is zippy and floral, with notes of honeydew, sweet grass, and crushed salt.
- Color
- Straw yellow with green highlights
- Nose
- Crisp pear, Tuscan wildflowers, and a hint of salt
- Palate
- Medium-bodied, with lively acidity and ripe fruit
- Finish
- Clean and dry, with a hint of almond skin
- Vineyard Location
- Toscana IGT, Tuscany
- Vineyard Size
- 10 ha
- Varietals List
-
90% Trebbiano
10% Vermentino - Farming Practices
- Organically farmed (non-certified), dry-farmed, and picked by hand
- Elevation
- 250 m
- Soils
- Sandy and lime soil
- Maturation Summary
- Bottled for 3 months
- Alcohol
- 13.0 %
- Acidity
- 5.5 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 2.5 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 60,000 bottles
Cala Civetta Ciliegiolo Maremma Toscana DOC
Believed to be a parent to Sangiovese (based on DNA evidence) Ciliegiolo certainly has plenty of telltale cherry aromas and flavors to offer. That said, this grape is slightly different than its offspring: richer in phenols and darker in color, it has softer, rounder tannins and less acidity, making it the perfect, approachable glass with a classic Tuscan meal. In the case of Cala Civetta, the wine is lean and clean, with a high-energy mouthfeel, ripe fruit, and a crowd-pleasing finish. A wonderful option from the Maremma that is both familiar and fresh at once.
- Color
- Bright ruby with violet reflections
- Nose
- Fresh cherry, wild strawberry, violet
- Palate
- Ripe cherry and soft tannins
- Finish
- Clean, unoaked, medium
- Vineyard Location
- Maremma Toscana DOC, Tuscany
- Vineyard Size
- 25 ha
- Varietals List
- 100% Ciliegiolo
- Farming Practices
- Organically farmed (non-certified), dry-farmed, and picked by hand, with a max of 8 clusters per plant; vegan
- Elevation
- 150-180 m
- Soils
- Sandy clay
- Maturation Summary
- In Steel for 3 months
- In Steel
- 3 months
- Alcohol
- 14.0 %
- Acidity
- 5 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 3 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 140,000 bottles
Cala Civetta Vermentino Toscana IGT
Lush in terms of body, but clean and zesty on the palate. this Vermentino performs the way we'd expect when well-made near the Tuscan coastline. While there are hints of minerality, the story of the wine revolves around its ample mouthfeel and warm climate, low yield fruit. The Cantina del Morellino is a true coop, with farmers owning an average of under 5 acres and doing everything by hand. Perfect anytime of year in lieu of Pinot Grigio or, for that matter, even an unoaked Chardonnay.
- Color
- Luminous straw yellow
- Nose
- Warm citrus, melon, and orange sherbet with linden and jasmine flowers
- Palate
- Fresh and mineral-driven, with intense warm citrus
- Finish
- Clean, medium
- Vineyard Location
- Toscana IGT, Tuscany
- Vineyard Size
- 60 ha
- Varietals List
- 100% Vermentino
- Farming Practices
- Organically farmed (non-certified), dry-farmed, and picked by hand; vegan
- Elevation
- 60-180 m
- Soils
- Limestone, shale, and clay
- Maturation Summary
- In Steel for 6 months
- In Steel
- 6 months
- Alcohol
- 13.0 %
- Acidity
- 5.5 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 3 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 300,000 bottles
Cala Civetta Sangiovese Toscana IGT 1Lt
Cantina del Morellino is our favorite Tuscan cooperative. It is a family-owned, inter-connected network of exceedingly small growers, virtually all of them multi-generational and married to the land. Chief enologist Paolo Caciorgna is a master of his craft, and one of the true experts in native Tuscan varietals. Here, his Sangiovese and Alicante blend provides a pleasing melange of tart, dried cherry and liquid smoke, along with a faint chalkiness and a finish that is pleasingly dry and briny.
- Color
- Light ruby
- Nose
- Dark cherry, with a hint of chalk and earth
- Palate
- Vibrant and tangy cherry, with a hint of smoke
- Finish
- Pleasantly dry, medium finish
- Vineyard Location
- Toscana IGT, Tuscany
- Vineyard Size
- 5 ha
- Varietals List
-
90% Sangiovese
10% Alicante - Farming Practices
- Organically farmed (non-certified), dry-farmed, and picked by hand
- Elevation
- 250 m
- Soils
- Sandy and stony soil
- Maturation Summary
- Bottled for 3 months
- Alcohol
- 13.0 %
- Acidity
- 5.1 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 2.3 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 50,000 bottles
Cala Civetta Bianco di Pitigliano DOC
From one of Tuscany's oldest DOCs comes this lesser-known, historic white crafted in the hilltop town of Scansano. The blend of Trebbiano and Chardonnay yields a wine simple in its approach but with great weight and acidity... along with an impressive shelf life for an unoaked white. A through-line of minerality accompanies the warm cirtus, green apple, and faraway hint of saltiness (the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea is just a 15 minute drive away). A little plate of linguine con vongole and your culinary fate is sealed!
- Color
- Light straw
- Nose
- Ripe citrus grove and minerality
- Palate
- Green apple with warm citrus and minerality repeating
- Finish
- Clean, with lingering tannins and hint of sapidity
- Vineyard Location
- Bianco di Pitigliano DOC, Tuscany
- Vineyard Size
- 25 ha
- Varietals List
-
80% Trebbiano
20% Chardonnay - Farming Practices
- Organically farmed (non-certified), dry-farmed, and picked by hand; vegan
- Elevation
- 100-1200 m
- Soils
- Mix of sandy soils and silt-rich tufa
- Maturation Summary
- In Steel for 3 months and Bottled for 1 month
- In Steel
- 3 months
- Alcohol
- 13.0 %
- Acidity
- 5.9 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 1.5 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 120,000 bottles