Region: Tuscany

Zone:

Terratico di Bibbona DOC

Bibbona is a quite new DOC appellation (2006) and is named after the little town in Tuscany, near Livorno. The area has been inhabited since the Stone Age, and they can therefore boast of a many important archeological discoveries, including the Etruscan Tholos graves from the 6th century B.C.

In the Middle Ages, several castles were built in this coastal area, which was dominated by the cities, Pisa, Volterra and Firenze. Around the year 1000, most of the land was turned over to the family Della Gherardesca, who already owned large land areas in Tuscany.

Descendants of this family inherited the now legendary winery, Tenuta San Guido, where the renowned red wine Sassicaia was created.

Later Bibbona became a free comune under the Republic of Pisa, which it remained until 1406, where it was taken over by the city of Florence.

Bibbona blossomed until 1549, where the producers received a rude awakening, when the municipal land was transferred to Prince Cósimo de’ Medici d. 1 (1519-1574). From now on they were forced to pay rent for their land to the prince, and the rent was called ’terratico’ , which comes from the Italian word for ’earth’ (terra).

The wines are produced in the Bibbona (which gives the wine its name), Cecina, Collesalvetti and Rossignano Maritimo comuni in the Livorno province.

The zone produces wines made from native grape varieties, like Sangiovese or Vermentino, along with international varieties like Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay.

In the Alta Maremma area, they have experimented especially with international varieties for more than a hundred years, which was a contributing factor to the birth of the ”Super Tuscan” phenomenon. These are some amazing, powerful red wines, which every Tuscan winery with an ounce of self-respect has on their tasting menu, and which are classified as IGT.

Read more about the wines from Terratico di Bibbona DOC by clicking i the top menu in the right side.