BigHammerWines.com

Some Tuscan reds are buttoned-up Chianti aristocrats. This one? It’s the ruggedly handsome cousin from the coast who rides in on a motorbike and smells faintly of sea breeze and rosemary.

Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973 when former Boxer and Movie director Italo Zingarelli decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate (extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine) to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone. Rocca delle Macìe implements agronomic techniques that are geared not only towards constantly improving the products but also towards respecting the environment.

Rocca delle Macìe was established on a solid base of ethical values, constructed by Italo in order to make his dream a reality. The respect of his children and their capacity to build upon what they had received did the rest. The Zingarelli family has not compromised on this approach as the business has grown. Rocca delle Macìe has now become one of the largest wine producers in Italy, and remains committed to preserving a land that is healthy and clean, and always in a position to offer up its very best fruits.

The Campo Maccione Morellino di Scansano DOCG comes from Rocca delle Macìe’s Maremma estate near Grosseto, where the sun warms the clay-and-sand hills and the salty Tyrrhenian air adds a whisper of the sea to every grape. The Zingarelli family planted 6,000 vines per hectare here, and about 25 of the 80 hectares are devoted to Sangiovese, with a splash of international varieties for depth.

Whether you’re at a long table under string lights or in your kitchen on a Tuesday night, this is pure, authentic Maremma: sun, sea, and Sangiovese in perfect balance.

Aging: 12 months in a large Slavonian oak.