Every year, in Maremma, on the night between the 30th of April and the 1st of May a very special tradition is celebrated, called Canti del Maggio [Songs of May]. On this occasion, in the countryside, following the tradition of Maremma, groups of people move from one estate to the other, wearing hats made of hay and decorated with flowers, and singing. In each estate they bring songs to wish good luck in the fields and in exchange for that they receive food: meat, sausages, salami, eggs and, of course, wine. These singers are called maggerini. This tradition is linked to the cult of trees, to agricultural rituals, celebrating abundance and while nature returns to its splendour, it is meant to wish good luck for the harvest to come. In the past it was particularly important even because of its social value. As estates in  Maremma were very distant from each other, Canti del Maggio served also to reinforce the connection between families, both for work reasons and for family allegiances (and marriages too!). As with many other traditions, in the past decades even Canti del Maggio went through a period of crisis but today they still exist, thanks, most of all, to special events involving local associations that have the valorisation of  popular songs. In particular, in Braccagni, this festival is a point of reference and groups perform in turn on the stage, together with poets and storytellers, even on the afternoon of the 1st of May. Want a preview of one of the songs? Click here. For more information on this tradition

• Siam venuti a cantar maggio
• Archivio delle tradizioni popolari della Maremma grossetana

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I luoghi del tempo, the festival dedicated to little-known places returns with its usual format that aims at enhancing unusual and little know places in Maremma, creating events with intellectuals, writers, artists, actors, musicians and journalists. As in the previous editions, these charming places will be the background for guided walks, concerts, interviews and tastings (and we will be present too!). A way to discover the richness of Maremma. This year, the destinations of the I luoghi del tempo festival will be: Granaio Lorenese in Alberese, the Etruscan archeological site in Poggiotondo (Scarlino), the mine in Niccioleta (Massa Marittima) and the archeological site in San Rocco (Sorano), the mine in Marchi a Ravi and Roccastrada (tenuta La Pescaia in Sticciano scalo). The events will take place from 29th May till 2nd June and then again on Saturday 6th and 13th June. Just like last year, we will again participate, in particular in the event on 2nd June in Sorano, in Via Cava – San Rocco. Sorano is located on a tuff rock overlooking the Lente valley. First settlements here date back to the Bronze age, before the Etruscans. A road was later carved in the stone, leading to the village, between caves used as necropolis and the ruins of a hermitage. In the 17th century, the people of Sorano dedicated a small chapel on this tuff rock to San Rocco, a pilgrim on the way to Rome in the 16th century. Here is the programme of the evening: Tuesday 2nd June Via cava SAN ROCCO · SORANO Free entrance 6 pm · PASSEGGIATA “Sentieri e briganti” with Marco Vichi (writer), Lorenzo Degl’Innocenti (actor), Pierandrea Vanni(journalist), Alessandro Agostinelli (journalist) Lara Arcangeli (director of Sistema Museale Sorano) 7.30 pm Tasting of local products with Azienda Agricola Riserno, Cantina Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano, Consorzio olio extravergine d’oliva Scansano, Salumificio Mori 8 pm  CONCERTO “Il Monumento” Peppe Voltarelli Here is the complete programme.http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/i-luoghi-del-tempo-1.jpgi-luoghi-del-tempo.jpg/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/i-luoghi-del-tempo.jpg1761|1762i-luoghi-del-tempo

A few days ago,  Spaziovino.com featured an article on our Morellino di Scansano Vignabenefizio. This Russian website is currently running a project called Project DOC 365 where every day of the year they present a different wine. For each wine they also present the area of production, its history, and finally the wine itself. So we thought of translating it for you (hopefully doing justice to the original article). Here’s what they say about our winery.

When in Maremma in the Eighties a wave of high quality producers grew, Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano were one of its main forces. The co-op, founded in 1972, invested largely in the new production and in the care of the vineyards, as well as in changing the mentality of its farmer-members. Their current reputation is mostly thanks to President Benedetto Grechi, through whom the company has been constantly developing in the past 30 years. Today  Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano have 470 hectares of vineyards, divided between 150 members. The Morellino di Scansano wines are the foundations of their range. Among these, there’s Vignabenefizio produced from a single vineyard. It grows up to 150 metres above sea level and the soil is rich in sand and limus. The average age of the vineyards is 15 years, and the grapes are collected in late September. The wine is made of  Sangiovese, plus 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fermentation takes place in steel tanks and it is then aged in old and new barriques for 6 months. 3 months of refining in bottle follow. A limpid ruby red. It is clean, with defined notes including charming floral tones of violets and roses. Notes of ripe cherries, balsamic, refreshing and spicy notes follow. The palate is round, the taste is balanced and dominated by notes of ripe fruits. The tannins are velvety, not heavy. The finish is medium-length and is completed with hints of milk chocolate. It has a recognisable Morellino di Scansano style. Sere with pasta with vegetables and tomato sauce, medium structured meat dishes. 3.5 stars

Finally, here’s how they present the Morellino di Scansano production area and its long vocation for viticulture, going back in time to the Etruscans.

Morellino di Scansano – one of the areas in Southern Tuscany specialised in Sangiovese. Its main centre is Scansano, in the province of Grosseto. Morellino is the name used locally for Sangiovese. The appellation is applied since the late Seventies and in 2006 its status changed from DOC to DOCG and only refers to the production of red wine. The cultivation of vines in Scansano and in the surrounding area goes back to ancient times. In the first millennium B.C., Etruscans lived here and were qualified vine growers. Their work is confirmed by the tools for the pruning and harvesting of the vineyards that were found by archaeologists in Ghiaccio Forte. Medieval land owners – nobles and the church – were well aware of the economic and social value of the vineyards. A field with vineyards stood out among other farmed fields and underwent special regulations. For instance, in the statutes of Castello di Cotone, Montorgiali and Scansano severe rules safeguarded the vineyards: for instance, if cattle ruined a vineyard, cattle owners had to pay a fine. The first detailed reports on local wine production date back to the early 19th century. In 1813 the mayor of Scansano, in a letter to the vice-prefect of Grosseto reported that the latest harvest had produced over half a million liters of wine, most of which were superior to the average. In a memorandum from 1847, Luigi Villafranca Giorgini of Società Agricola di Grosseto, said in the botanical gardens of Pisa there was a vine that was five cubites tall (2.92 m) and with a circumference of 4 cubites (2.36 m). It was taken to Villa Castagneta, near  Scansano. At the end of the 19th century, a report on the agricultural, industrial and trade development  in the province of Grosseto (1884) indicated that the wines of the best quality were produced in Magliano, Scansano and Pereta. Their land is included in the current wine production area. As a confirmation of the rooted enological tradition of Scansano, since 1969 a harvest festival is celebrated, called Festa dell’Uva. This takes place in a doze medieval cellars, a further prove of the wine history of Scansano.

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Autumn has just begun and the harvest comes to an end. While the first rain arrives and the countryside turns to red and gold, here is a list of food, nature and art events in Maremma, taking place in the land of Morellino di Scansano to be precise, in the month of October, which can offer an extra reason – if one should need one – to come and visit our territory.

Food festivals

(for those who want to taste the flavours of our land)

• Caldana, 3-4 and 10-11 October – Festa d’autunno, a festival with local seasonal product (polenta, chestnuts, wine, mushrooms and boar). Info in Italian here.
• Cinigiano – 2-4 October – Festa dell’Uva, open cellars, historic parade, tastings and wine and food stands. Info in Italian here.
• Montorgiali (a hamlet of Scansano) – 2-3 and 9-10 October – Sagra del maiale, a festival dedicated to pork at the sports courts in loc. Bivio with food stands .
• Roccalbegna – 17 October – Sagra della biondina (the local name for chestnuts is biondine). Food stands with typical chestnut-based dishes. Entertainment and games for everyone.
• Scansano – 30 October – 1 November  – Antica Contrada il Dentro organises  Festa d’Autunno, with dishes made with chestnuts paired with Morellino di Scansano (of course!), music and workshops  

Nature

(for those who love staying outdoors)

• Alberese – Parco della Maremma – 11th October,  a run with the Trail Parco della Maremma TPM (23 km) and a walk (for non runners) of 16 km with the  WALK’N THE PARK “WNTP”. On top of that, the “Le stagioni del parco” photographic contest continues, dedicated to the best pictures of the park in the current season. For more info click here.

Arts

(for rainy days… and sunny days too!)

• Sovana – from 1 October till 2 November,  Etruschi in 3D, a multimedia show dedicated to this civilization whom we owe the beginning of viticulture in our territory. The exhibition is open everyday except on Thursdays, from 10 am to 1 pm and from 3 to 6 pm. Tickets are 2,00 euros.
• Grosseto – until 18th October 2015, Ritratti di Maremma, dall’archeologia alla fotografia, a photo exhibition with photographs from the Archivio Fratelli Gori, inside the Museo Archeologico e d’Arte della Maremma

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