Castello Viscogliosi of Scarlino

In Alta Maremma, near Scarlino, Stefano Viscogliosi and his wife Isabella Citerni di Siena have set up a small farm where they produce a delicious Aleatico rosé.

I met Stefano Viscogliosi through Facebook (Meta). The Viscogliosi are a historic family of industrialists from Isola del Liri, living in the castle that once belonged to the Boncompagni Princes and dominates the town; they also own a felt mill and several pieces of land. Since I was a boy I had a desire to visit the castle so I asked him to meet me in a bar in town for a drink. The friendship from virtual became real. 

Stefano is a delightful person and without my asking him he invited me to visit the Castle. On that occasion talking about our professions merse that he is a certified public accountant with a degree from LUISS in Rome, who had attended the AIS sommelier course to become a wine producer, a dream he shares with his wife, who is also a wine enthusiast. Stefano is happily married to a Tuscan noblewoman from Scarlino: Isabella Citerni of Siena, who also holds a degree in economics and business from Rome's Sapienza University and by whom he had three children, a boy and two girls. 

This project that started as an amateur initiative gradually got the family more and more involved in the passion of agriculture, with the subsequent involvement of their son Giulio Viscogliosi Citerni of Siena. The area where they planted the vineyards is in the upper Maremma, in a small estate that the lady had inherited, and where from time to time during the year they would go to spend a few days of rest. The estate is 10 hectares, three of which are planted with vines: one hectare is planted with Aleatico, the second with Merlot, and in the third they are planting Ansonica. In the remaining 7 ha they grow olive trees having recovered ancient local cultivars. 

The farm borders a protected natural area that is part of the Natura 2000 network of community interest, a fact that led to the adoption of organic methods of farm management.  The soil is composed of alternating argillites (marl) with layers of calcarenites. Orographically, the vineyards are sheltered from the mistral and libeccio winds by the wooded hills of the adjacent park. 

In choosing the Aleatico grape variety he conformed somewhat to local usage: it is opposite the island of Elba and five kilometers from the sea. Where Stephen for me has been brave is in wanting to produce a rosé and dry Aleatico rather than a fortified or passito. 

Aleatico is a grape variety that prefers dry, loose clay-limestone soils like those on the Viscogliosi estate. It produces an aromatic grape made mainly of free and glycosylated terpenes, plus esters, aldehydes and oxides. The defining element is geraniol because it quantitatively outnumbers linalool, nerol and citronellol. It prefers pruning that tends to be long. The vines, 5500 vines per hectare, are arranged in rows along the north-south line, which allows equal insolation of the clusters from sunrise to sunset. 

Castello Viscogliosi
Toscana Rosato Carpiano 2021

92/100 - € 12

100% Aleatico. Acciaio. Color rosa aranciato simile allo zircone arancione. Il profumo è tipico dell’Aleatico, ricorda la salvia sclarea e la pera moscatella. In bocca è pieno, equilibrato e armonico; il sapore si divide equamente tra la freschezza degli acidi e il calore e la morbidezza dell’alcol. La persistenza gustativa è lunga. 

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