Alta Maremma, Tuscany

Without a doubt the wines and work of this upstart project is, and will be, a reference point for the future of Tuscan wine. Agricola i Forestieri was born in 2019 as two friends and colleagues decided to embark on their own winemaking journey together. Dario Marinari cut his teeth working in vineyards and wineries in both Italy and France. He was an apprentice to the folk-legend Stefano Amerighi in Cortona, and gained experience in biodynamic agriculture and natural winemaking at Agricola Le Nuvole, Mas de Daumas Gassac before landing at Ampeleia in Tuscany. His friend Ezequiel Allassia was born in Argentina and moved to Tuscany over 16 years ago and is now an "adopted native" in the Tuscan Maremma. He is currently the cellarmaster at Ampeleia, where the two met and ultimately decided to create their own project together: Agricola i Forestieri.

The work of these two "Forestieri", a term in Italian referring to "strangers", as both Dario and Ezequiel come from outside of the Tuscany Maremma, is inspiring beyond description. Over the past several years they have listened closely to the old farmers and local elders in and around the hill-towns of Roccatederighi and Roccastrada, high in the Alta Maremma of Tuscany. They have pieced together some 3.5-4 hectares of very old, often abandoned vineyard parcels nestled and hidden high in the hills of these villages. The rehabilitation of the old vines and the combination of elevation and diverse soil compositions (mixtures of gallestro/schist, sand, clay and marne) gives them an unparalleled sense of place and a fierce attachment to the land from which the wines are made.

These vineyards are tiny parcels, often co-planted in the ancient Etruscan "agricoltura promiscua" method with various local varieties all planted together; such as Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Montepulciano, Aleatico and Grenache for the reds with Trebbiano, Malvasia, Moscato and Ansonica for the white grapes. Elevations range from 250-600 meters giving the wines remarkable balance and complexity.

Vinification takes place in a small cantina where each parcel is fermented and aged individually before a careful assemblage of the various aging vessels and vinification methods is made to create the finished wines. All fermentations use native yeast and each moment, each step in the process is deliberate and careful attention is paid to every detail: ripeness of grapes, de-stemming vs whole cluster, skin maceration, cement tank vs anfora vs ceramic egg vs stainless steel vs cement. Sulfur is used only if and when necessary; Dario and Ezequiel are not dogmatic about the use of sulfur, rather they use it diligently and only when necessary to help create a balanced, pure wine...all of these decisions result in wines that are simply stunning.

Having spent time with both Dario and Ezequiel, we can tell you that their work is some of the most dialed, skilled and refined that we have seen anywhere in Italy. They are young but they have the wisdom of true masters. The wines they make show their attention to detail, their passion, energy and a sense of terroir that can be easily missed in the ocean of Tuscan wines. We truly believe they are a beacon in a dark forest of Tuscan wine and know their wines will continue to evolve as they deepen their winemaking journey...we're all lucky to be able to drink the fruits of their labor!