Poggio Argentiera is an organic wine producer in Località Banditella di Alberese in Grosseto in the homonymous province on the south-west Tuscan coast of Italy. The estate is within–although right on the edge of–the Morellino di Scansano DOCG, near the sea and almost at sea level. Red wines wines are made under the Morellino di Scansano DOCG.

People: Giampaolo Paglia. Met him at Benvenuto Brunello 2014. He was born in Orbetello and got a degree in agriculture. He then studied molecular biology and worked in Friuli where he became interested in wine. He bought an abandoned farm in Tuscany and began replanting. The first vintage was 1998. His wines get a lot of PR and are easier to drink than the old style. USA an important market. Gianpaolo Paglia is married to Justine (English) and they have a son Oliver and one other child. Studying to be an MW. Researched plant DNA/forestry.

Staff: Oen: Fabrizio Moltard. Former staff: Antonio Camillo (now has his own estate).

Organic certification: 2012 First vintage with full organic certification.

Vineyards, wine production: 22ha producing 200,000 bottles (Gambero Rosso: 2015). Poggio Argentiera’s  estate vines are in two places 20km apart. These are Podere Keeling and Podere Adua. The latter is where the winery, office and HQ is. Sandy. Planted from 1998 with Sangiovese, Alicante, Ciliegiolo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

White wines

Alture Bianco: 100% Sauvignon. Vines at 600m above sea level. Hard volcanic rock composed of compacted volcanic ash. Hand-picked.

Guazza: 2013 Bottled.

Red wines

Maremmante: 2015 Syrah, Alicante.

Morellino di Scansano DOCG, Bellamarsiglia: Doug Wregg  of Les Caves de Pyrène explains that Bellamarsilia is ‘named after one of the sea-facing watchtowers that line the hilltops of the National Park of Maremma. This particular turret looks down on the Podere Adua vineyards and is connected to an ancient local legend: the original bella Marsilia was the lovely daughter of a maremmana family. She lived here centuries ago, and the fame of her beauty was such that it reached none other than the last Emperor of the Ottoman Empire, Suliman VII, who decided beautiful Marsilia was to be his wife. The young girl was apparently not consulted, for the Emperor’s men secretly came ashore one moonless night (unseen from the watchtower!) and kidnapped la bella Marsilia, taking her forever from her beloved Maremma,’ (Caves de Pyrène list, July 2011).

Morellino di Scansano DOCG CapatostA [sic]: Gianpaolo named this wine ‘capatostA’ or stubborn in southern Italian slang. Mainly Sangiovese. Older vines. Also some Alicante (Grenache Noir) from newer, higher-density vineyards. Vineyards are on sandy-limey terrain lying opposite the Natural Park of Maremma. 3 weeks on skins. MLF in wood. | 2002 Unfiltered. 95% Sangiovese, 5% Alicante. Very smoky oak and a very modern extracted style; chunky and coffee-like, so international the aftertaste is all vanilla and zero texture but a wine the punters like I am sure at the Morellino Consorzio on Wed 2nd March 2005. | 2014 First bottle was was corked. The second is yeasty and beer like; lovely palate though with sweet fruit if a little green. 88 Points (DWWA 2016).

Principio: 100% Ciliegiolo. From only 4-5 hectares of old vines, near the village of Manciano, 200 m ASL, in an area locally known because it has always produced “vino bono” (good wine). “From forty year old vines, in an historic area for the production of red wines. Fermentation, as with the Sauvignon, is in vat (with indigenous yeast) wherein the wine spends six months before bottling,” (Les Caves de Pyrène list, July 2011).

Finisterre: “Finisterre is a phenomenal blend of Alicante and Syrah (the proportions vary according to the vintage). Yields are very low, fermentation in small open oak barrels with natural yeasts, punching down of the skins is done manually with a further maceration for eight days. The wine is then transferred into first and second fill barrels aged for 15-16 months and then a further 6 months in bottle,” (Le Caves de Pyrène list, July 2011).

L’Alicante Passito: “The oldest Alicante vineyards are responsible for a wonderful passito wine. The grapes are harvested two weeks after the rest of the vintage, transferred to a fruttaio, a room where air circulates freely and humidity is average. After the appassimento the weight is reduced by 30%. These dried grapes are fermented in small open oak barrels with natural yeasts and no temperature control, then transferred to used barrels. Try with strong cheese (gorgonzola) or chocolate,” (Les Caves de Pyrène.)

Bibliography

Caves de Pyrène list, July 2011.

Contact

Poggio Argentiera

Loc. Banditella di Alberese

SS1 Km 54

I-58010 Grosseto (GR), Italy

Tel+39 0564.405099 | www.poggioargentiera.com