• October events in Maremma, in the land of Morellino di Scansano

    By

    porcini-hb-brinkmann

    Porcini – photo by H.P. Brinkmann

    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

     http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/porcini-hb-brinkmann-1.jpgporcini-hb-brinkmann.jpg/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/porcini-hb-brinkmann.jpg1941|1942porcini-hb-brinkmann

  • A documentary on Morellino di Scansano

    By

    screenshot del documentario sul morellino di scansanoToday we present a documentary on Morellino di Scansano, titled Morellino di Scansano, un vino dalle antiche radici. In the first part, the history of our area is presented, starting with the Etruscans who were the first to tend the vineyards and produce wines in our area – and they even exported wine to France! – then the Romans, the middle ages and the modern era, including the episode when Vannuccini first supported the idea of the birth of a cooperative that would enhance the quality of the wine produced in our lands. In the first part, the ArcheoVino project is also presented: it involves the creation of an experimental vineyard close to the archeological site of Ghiaccio Forte and the training of vines following Etruscan and Ancient Roman techniques. The second part of the documentary is focused on Morellino di Scansano the way we know it today. From the birth of the cooperative to that of the denomination up to the very production of this wine, with beautiful images shot by Video Grafica 01 in Grosseto during harvest time. The scenery was in fact offered by some of our very own members (Marco Capiti, Alessandro Fiorini, Elio Ginesi, Nello Limbetti, Agostino Rossi, Guido Tonini), while the footage of the vinification and maturation process of Morellino di Scansano was recorded in our winery. The documentary was created by Scansano’s township in collaboration with Museo Archeologico e della Vite e del Vino di Scansano, Università degli Studi di Siena, Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Toscana and Consorzio Tutela Morellino di Scansano. Footage and editing by Video Grafica 01 in Grosseto, text by Slawka G. Scarso. Enjoy! [su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1TfTIGhxWk” width=”640″ height=”480″]http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Schermata-2015-10-12-alle-22.10.14-1.pngSchermata-2015-10-12-alle-22.10.14.png/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/Schermata-2015-10-12-alle-22.10.14.png2003|2004Schermata 2015-10-12 alle 22.10.14

  • 10 things to do in the autumn in Maremma

    By

    laguna di orbedello

    Laguna di Orbetello – photo by Marco Bellucci (modified version, the original was had a portrait layout)

    Maremma is beautiful all year round. Perhaps it’s because it is scarcely urbanized, perhaps it’s because the territory is varied, and offers sea, hills and mountains too, with the Amiata. So even in the autumn it is worth organising a trip to Grosseto’s Maremma, even if only for a weekend (there are low cost companies flying to Pisa), to appreciate its nature, its culture and flavours. So here’s a list of things you can do in the autumn in Maremma:

    Terme di Saturnia, Cascata del Mulino.

    Terme di Saturnia, Cascata del Mulino. Photo by Roberto Ferrari

      1. Swim at Saturnia thermal site – the hot season is over, swims in the sea are just a memory now, but in Saturnia’s therms you can dip into hot water (from 37 to 45°C) all year round. This is thanks to the volcanic territory of Mount Amiata – did you know it’s a volcano? In Saturnia there’s a spa resort but there’s also an open access spring called Cascata del Mulino.
      2. Birdwatching in the parks and natural reserves of Maremma. In this area and season, you can see many migratory birds, both those that are passing by in the autumn, and those that come here for the winter season. Among these you can fined wood pigeons, mockingbirds, woodcocks, winter wrens, robins, chaffinches. There are many itineraries and ways to visit Parco della Maremma and the WWF Laguna di Orbetello Oasis.
      3. Riding horses or bikes – if on top of nature you also like sports (so that then you can enjoy a plateful of tortelli maremmani or pappardelle without any pointless qualms) then you can visit Parco della Maremma also riding a bike or a horse – you can rent them on location.
      4. Food festivals dedicated to seasonal products -Autumn in Maremma is the season of lovely products such as chestnuts and mushrooms, a cuisine that is rich and full of aroma and is of comfort against the first cold days. So to celebrate these products, every village organises some festival. We’ve written about the October ones here, and in the next few days we’ll publish the list for November.
      5. Tasting bruschetta with the new oil – our land is scattered with olive groves just as much as with vineyards. And in these weeks olives reach the moment when they start to change their colour, the best moment for picking. After leaving the oil to rest a little… it is ready to be enjoyed, better if on a bruschetta made with local bread.
      6. Admiring nature’s warm colours … – the colour palette offered by nature in the autumn is enchanting, what with all the shades of red, gold and yellow. So walking outdoors or even driving from one village to the other, it’s a good idea to stop and take a few pictures but most of all, enjoy the beautiful colours of this season.
      7. … but also the red skies at sunset, looking at the sea! – and if towards the end of the day you still haven’t had enough of warm colours, try looking at the sea from our hills: you’ll see the sea diving into the sea, painting the sky in red. And when the sky is clear, and perhaps there’s a little wind, you can see as far as the islands of Elba and Corsica too.
    Novello Toscano dei Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano

    Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano’s Novello Toscano

    1. A dish of pappardelle with wild boar meat sauce or mushrooms – and should you find the right food festival for you, you can always visit a local trattoria and try some delicious pappardelle with wild boar meat sauce. A dish that with the autumn cool becomes even more delicious. And of course it must be paired with some Morellino di Scansano!
    2. A visit to a winery – Carducci, not far away from here, wrote a poem about the must fermenting on Saint Martin’s. As a tribute to him, and even more so to Morellino di Scansano, why not organise a nice visit to a winery? Wines from the latest harvest aren’t ready yet – but see #10 – but visiting a winery in this season, knowing new wines are getting ready for their debut, is special.
    3. Tasting Novello – Novello is out at the end of October, and it is the very first wine from the harvest that has just ended to be out. It is a young, fresh and lively wine, a perfect pairing with chestnuts, in front of the fireplace.

     

  • Events in November in Maremma, in the land of Morellino di Scansano

    By

    castagne-salvatore-scaliaA new month has started, so here’s the monthly post with all the events to take place in November in Maremma , especially in the production are of Morellino di Scansano (or close by, in any case) offering a good excuse to visit our territory in the coming weeks. The post will be added during the month, should any new event come up, so return to this page in the following days. And if you have any event to recommend, leave a comment, we’ll be happy to added it.

    Food festivals

    (for those who want to taste the flavours of our territory)
    • Santa Fiora, 6-8th November – Sagra del marrone, food stands, dedicated to chestnuts (marroni), markets and visit to the spring gallery.
    • Semproniano (loc. Petricci) – 14-15th November – Prodotti Poveri per Ricchi Sapori, itinerating lunches and dinners in the old pantries, folk music and songs. On Saturday from 5 pm to midnight and Sunday from noon to midnight  (plus there’s a carriage ride at 10 am).
    • Manciano (loc. Marsiliana) – 14-15th November, Festa dell’olio nuovo, celebrating the new olive oil with tastings, bruschetta and chestnuts with Maremma folk songs in the background; info via email here.

    Nature

    (for those who love the outdoors)
    • Orbetello – 15th November  – Corri nella Riserva – a 10 km run in the Feniglia Natural Reserve. More info on the Trisport Argentario website
    • Semproniano (loc. Petricci) – 15th November – Gustatrekking a walk on the tracks between the local villages, organised by Terra Mare. Bring your own packet lunch but you’ll also taste typical local products – the walk ends at Prodotti poveri per ricchi sapori (see above). Info here.
    • Sovana and Pitigliano – 15th November – Vie Cave a walk through the Vie Cave between Pitigliano and Sovana. Info here.
    • Scansano – 22nd November – Villa Romana degli Anili, a visit to the Roman Villa of the Anili, organised by Uisp Grosseto. Medium difficulty, meeting point at  8:45 in via Ravel in Grosseto, info via email here.

    Art

    (for rainy days, though not necessarily)
    • Grosseto – until 31st December – Uomini e Elefanti nella Maremma Preistorica an exhibition dedicated to men and elephants (mammuths  inside Complesso del Cassero Senese in Grosseto presenting the story and the essential steps of the finding and restoring of paleontological remains, with a multidisciplinary, narrative approach. Open on Saturdays from 5 pm till 8 pm. Tickets are 3 euros, entrance is free for children under 6 years old.
    • Grosseto – until 31st December, Paesaggio e risorse alimentari in Maremma nell’epoca moderna – a documentary exhibition on the landscapes and food resources of Maremma in modern times at Archivio di Stato.

     http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/castagne-salvatore-scalia-1.jpgcastagne-salvatore-scalia.jpg/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/castagne-salvatore-scalia.jpg2022castagne-salvatore-scalia

  • Oscar del Vino: our Sicomoro nominated Best Wine with Excellent Quality and Price

    By

    We ended 2015 with a splendid tasting at Hotel Cavalieri in Rome, organised by Bibenda and guided by Daniela Scrobogna. It was a success: plenty of people came to taste our wines and discover the piece of Maremma we brought with us to Rome on that occasion. They asked many questions to our own Benedetto and Sergio, there was lots of interest throughout the tasting for our wines and our territory. Now a new year has begun, a beautiful news has arrived from Rome. We’re proud to announce our Morellino di Scansano Docg Riserva Sicomoro 2011 was selected by the Accademia degli Oscar 2016 as a candidate for a category we hold very dear, the Best Wine of Great Quality and Price. Having always worked hard to offer great quality at an excellent price, this nomination has a special meaning to us, as you can imagine. This is why we ask all those among you who read these pages to vote so that our Sicomoro can win the Oscar for Best Wine of Great Quality and Price on Bibenda‘s website. You can do so from this link. The winners of each category will be announced in late April. Thank you all for your support! [su_slider source=”media: 2175,2161,2139,2171,2153,2151,2145,2149″ link=”lightbox” title=”no”]http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/19-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/18-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/17-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/16-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/15-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/14-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/13-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/12-2.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/11-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/10-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/9-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/8-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/7-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/6-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/5-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/4-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/3-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/1-1.jpg|http://vignaiolidiscansano.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/header-oscar-sicomoro-blog-1.jpg19.jpg|18.jpg|17.jpg|16.jpg|15.jpg|14.jpg|13.jpg|12.jpg|11.jpg|10.jpg|9.jpg|8.jpg|7.jpg|6.jpg|5.jpg|4.jpg|3.jpg|2.jpg|1.jpg|header-oscar-sicomoro-blog.jpg/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/19.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/18.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/17.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/16.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/15.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/14.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/13.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/12.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/11.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/10.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/9.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/8.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/7.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/6.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/5.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/4.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/3.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/1.jpg|/home/vignaioli/public_html/wp-content/uploads/header-oscar-sicomoro-blog.jpg2176|2174|2172|2170|2168|2166|2164|2162|2160|2158|2156|2154|2152|2150|2148|2146|2144|2142|2140|213819|18|17|16|15|14|13|12|11|10|9|8|7|6|5|4|3|2|1|header-oscar-sicomoro-blog