The Le Mortelle winery is located in the heart of the 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 important enough to be recorded 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 swamp land, developed it, and began agricultural use. The Antinori family has always been established in this region; as early as 1863, an inventory of the family assets of the Counts Antinori mentioned, alongside the ownership of the hill "Poggio Franco" and other properties, the vineyards with the highest potential, such as "La Badiola."
The Antinori family then decided in 1999 to build a new winery and at the same time rehabilitated and perfected the surrounding vineyards with the firm conviction that this area, which is slowly emerging as the Tuscan "primus inter pares," holds great potential for wines of outstanding quality. The grape varieties grown in this region can develop their special characteristics here, and in Italy, due to the terroir and climate, probably only in the Maremma. World-class Cabernet exists in Italy, with very few exceptions, only in the Maremma. The name "Mortelle" means "wild myrtle," a fragrant shrub that grows in the coastal region of the 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 exactly: powerful and at the same time elegant.
The Le Mortelle winery, which is largely built underground, was designed to blend into the surrounding landscape and be as inconspicuous as possible. In fact, it appears 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 through every production phase of winemaking without pumping: fermentation, aging, and bottling, which visitors can view in a vertical journey across different floors. The cylindrical and underground structure of the cellar spans three levels and includes all phases of winemaking from the delivery of the grapes to vinification and subsequent storage and 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 sustainability concept: the rocky subsoil preserves the natural temperature and humidity, so no energy is needed for regulation. On the 170 hectares, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and some Carménère are grown. Recently, white grapes such as Vermentino, Ansonica, and Viognier have been planted. The lands nestle in the center of a small natural amphitheater that extends behind the estate from north to south overlooking the sea and slightly moderates the weather conditions.
The terroir is sandy and clayey, containing limestone, clay, and pebbles. The soil conditions tend to warm up slightly, which benefits the growth cycle greatly. In this special context, grape varieties like Cabernet and Carménère (each ripening late or very late) can reach full maturity and thus develop their complete flavor potential. The climate here is typical of the Tyrrhenian coast, hot and dry with a sea breeze that moderates the cold winter temperatures and cools the hot summer days through moderate rainfall. The moisture from the Le Mortelle lake and the nearby Diaccia Botrona nature reserve helps thermally regulate this area marked by dryness and drought periods, where ducks, coots, and many different bird species live.
