The Wines of TuttoToscana 2018: Azienda Bruni Winery

By Sarah Reid, Joyce Myvett, and Keri O’Neill
Photo by Donald Blair

Tuscany and its Wines students delve into Azienda Bruni Winery. 

Azienda Bruni Winery was founded in 1974 in the Tuscan city of Maremma. The property that the winery sits on was acquired by Leo Bruni and his son Paolo in 1955. At this time, the land was not a vineyard and the land was swampy. In 1956, they founded the farm and began to remove trees and raising livestock. The first production of wine took place in 1973. It was called il Marta Rosa and it was hand bottled. In the following year, 1974, the vineyard was officially founded. That same year, the Bruni family had twin boys, Marco and Moreno. The twins, who still run the vineyard today, took over in 1995 at the age of 20. In the following years, the twins improved the winemaking process and techniques to improve the quality of the wine and extend their market beyond Italy. Today, the vineyard spans over 40 hectares of land and has a production of over 320,000 bottles every year. Their main production of wine is Morellino di Scansano DOCG, but there are also Maremma Toscana Plinio DOC, Vermentino, Cabernet, Alicante, and others.

Morellino Di Sansano Marteto is a DOCG grade wine. It has an alcohol content of 13.5%. This wine is made with a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Syrah, and 5% Alicante. This wine has to be made up of a minimum percentage of 85% of sangiovese for its classifications. The wine’s specific characteristics come from the terroir of southern Italy where the grapes are grown. The climate is much warmer. This helps the grapes mature while the area of Maremma is along the coast which gives the wine its distinctive mineral taste. Its bold flavor and strong structure make it a perfect pairing for red meats like beef and venison. Marteto is aged for six to eight months in oak barrels and then aged in the bottle for three months before it is put on the shelves. There are three types of Morellino Di Scansano; the first is not aged in wood and can be put on the shelves after eight months. This gives the wine a fresh fruity flavor. The second is riserva where there is a minimum aging period of two years, one of them being in wood. Being aged gives the riserva spicier flavors. The third production of this wine is a mix between the first two where there is an aging period that can span from four to twelve months.

Image source: enotecatuscia.it

 

DOC Maremma Toscana Plino is a wine that goes as far as 1982, containing 85% Vermentino and 15% Viognier. The wine has a bright straw yellow color and consist of 12.5% alcohol. The aroma from this bottle offers a various selection of different fruits and flowers, leaving a sweet after effect. This guarantees the consumers and tasters to experience a citrus burst of freshness. This wine is typically harvested toward the end of the year from August and on. The Plino is not known for its aging period, because it is meant to be enjoyed young and there is no need. DOC Maremma Toscana Plino is commonly found within the Spanish origin, such as Italy (Liguria) and Sardinia. It is only produced from a white grape that is planted in high altitude and a very hot climate. This is to improve the effectiveness of the floral aromas and sweetness of the grapes. This wine is typically enjoyed most with snacking foods to balance the sugar taste.

Image source: ladispensedelbuttero.com

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