The Le Mortelle winery is located in the heart of Maremma, near the town of Castiglione delle Pescaia in the province of Grosseto. It was once part of a much larger estate called La Badiola and was significant enough to be marked on the maps of Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany in the 19th century. The rulers of Habsburg Lorraine of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany drained the marshy wetlands, developed it, and began agricultural use. The Antinori family has always been established in this region, and as early as 1863, a survey of the family assets of the Counts Antinori mentioned the vineyards with the highest potential, such as "La Badiola," alongside the ownership of the mountain "Poggio Franco" and other properties.
The Antinori family then decided in 1999 to build a new winery and simultaneously rehabilitated and perfected the surrounding vineyards with the firm belief that this area, which is slowly emerging as Tuscany's "primus inter pares," holds great potential for wines of outstanding quality. The grape varieties growing in this region can only develop their special characteristics here, and in Italy, due to the terroir and climate, probably only in Maremma. World-class Cabernet can be found in Italy only in Maremma, with very few exceptions. The name "Mortelle" means "wild myrtle," a fragrant shrub that grows in the coastal region of Maremma and was chosen as the symbol of the estate. The winery covers 270 hectares, of which 170 hectares are vineyards. The wines produced here reflect the landscape: powerful yet elegant.
The Le Mortelle winery, which is largely underground, was designed to blend into the surrounding landscape and be as unobtrusive as possible. In fact, it seems to emerge from a small hill. Unobtrusive and only visible through the modest entrance area, the winery reveals impressive rocks, many glass elements, and wood inside. It was designed so that the grapes can be accompanied without pumping from delivery through every production phase of winemaking: fermentation, aging, and bottling, which can be viewed by visitors on a vertical journey through different floors. The cylindrical and underground structure of the cellar takes place on three levels and encompasses all phases of winemaking from the delivery of the grapes to vinification and subsequent storage as well as aging in barrels in the underground barrel cellar.
The wine tanks are shaped like inverted cones to support the winemaking process. The room where the barrels are stored for the aging process also follows the concept of sustainability: The rocky substrate maintains the natural temperature and humidity, so no energy is needed for regulation. On the 170 hectares, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and also some Carménère are cultivated. Recently, white grape varieties such as Vermentino, Ansonica, and Viognier have been planted. The lands nestle in the center of a small natural amphitheater that stretches from the north to the south behind the estate, overlooking the sea and slightly moderating the weather conditions.
The terroir is sandy and clayey, containing limestone, clay, and pebbles. The soil conditions tend to heat up easily, which greatly benefits the growth cycle. In this specific context, grape varieties such as Cabernet and Carménère (each ripening late and very late, respectively) can reach their full maturity and thus unfold their complete flavor potential. The climate here is typical of the Tyrrhenian coast, hot and dry with a sea breeze that mitigates the cold winter temperatures and cools the hot summer days with moderate rainfall. The humidity from Lake Le Mortelle and the nearby Diaccia Botrona Nature Reserve helps thermally regulate this area marked by drought and dry periods, which is home to ducks, coots, and many different bird species.
