Wine Route of the Etruscan Coast

Running parallel to the Tyrrhenian Coast, the Wine Route of the Etruscan Coast meanders from the high grounds that surround the valley of the river Cecina, in and around the territories of the province of Pisa and Livorno and on to the promontory of Piombino. The fine, white sandy beaches and blue sea are bordered by rolling hills of vineyards, olive groves and thick woods.

While the Route crosses a variety of different Pisan municipalities, the have intriguing and evocative environments and unpolluted settings in common. The hilly inland area is crossed by the river Cecina and is largely covered by wooded areas and Mediterranean scrub: the wines, cool and aromatic, are full bodied and reap the effects of both the proximity to the sea and the favourable conditions of the land and exposures.

The Route departs from the most southerly municipality of the province, Monteverdi Marittimo, to wind through the historically named Tre Comuni (Three Municipalities): Montescudaio, Guardistallo and Casale Marittimo. Ancient lookout points, perched on sites offering wonderful views, and medieval hamlets have recently been reunited with their original beauty thanks to a number of projects that has seen restoration operations carried out on the heart of these hamlets.

Once past the Tre Comuni the trail enters the Cecina Valley, drops towards the small enchanted castle in fairytale woods of Querceto, to then rise again to almost four hundred meters to the vineyards of the area of Sorbaiano at Montecatini Val di Cecina. After pausing in the hamlet of Riparbella, surrounded by thick woods and thriving Mediterranean scrub, the trail reaches the town of Castellina Marittima, renowned for alabaster extraction and offering fabulous views over the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The trail is highly recommended for cycling fans and opens the door to learning about this part of the Pisan territory, with the typical features of the Maremma hills that stretch between the sea and the inland hills of Tuscany. The Macchia della Magona (Magona scrub), typical of this environment and protected by the Corpo Forestale (Forestry Department), is close to Casale Marittimo and features over sixty kilometres of well kept paths that are ideal for trekking, biking and horse riding excursions in utter peace.

These are precisely the features of the territory that are the basis of great wine production: when strolling through the vineyards it is impossible to miss the unmistakable air of industrious, keen initiative of the wine makers who have invested in producing great wines (the area has two DOC wines:  the DOC Montescudaio and the DOC Val di Cornia) that have contributed greatly to the Italian wine scene.

The IGT (Indication of Geographical Typicity) wines encompass such a large variety of types throughout the territory that the bond they reflect with the land depends on the particular choices made by the company. More often than not they fall into the category of wine called Supertuscans which, thanks to an accurate selection of varietal, careful vinification and ageing in small (barriques) or large (tonneaux) barrels have great structure and longevity.