Sassotondo Numero Sei 2023

Sassotondo Numero Sei 2023, the orange wine of Maremma

With its equal blend of Greco and Sauvignon Blanc, the Sassotondo Numero Sei 2023 takes a less expected path than that of a classic white. It is an organic orange wine from Maremma, made from a singular plot and aged for a long time in barrels that have already been used. I hold on to it for this meeting between freshness, aromatic expression and patient work on the skins.

A volcanic cru in the heart of Maremma

The Sassotondo estate lies in southern Tuscany, between Sorano and Pitigliano, in Maremma. In 1990, Carla Benini, an agronomist, and her husband Edoardo Ventimiglia, a documentary filmmaker, left Rome to settle on a 72-hectare property then left abandoned. There they built their winemaking project and a renovated cellar, wanting to let the volcanic terroirs of the region speak. The Numero Sei comes from a single plot, located in an area that once belonged to the Bolsena volcanic basin.

The vines, more than twenty years old, yield a blend of 50% Greco and 50% Sauvignon Blanc. Cultivation follows organic practices designed to preserve the vines. The harvest is done by hand, then the two grape varieties are vinified separately: the Sauvignon ferments in stainless steel tanks with a short maceration, while the Greco stays in contact with its skins longer before going into barrel. This difference in treatment builds the orange character of the wine without erasing the sought-after freshness.

The color is that of an orange wine, but the available tasting information does not specify its exact shade. The announced profile is fresh, original and aromatic; the wine is also described as moderately structured and fairly aromatic. I prefer not to attribute precise aromas that are not documented: here, the character rests first on the blend, on the extended maceration of the Greco and on the balance between fruit and aging. After fermentation, the Numero Sei spends twelve months in second-use French barriques, then rests a further twelve months in bottle before release. Since these barrels have already been used, the aging accompanies the wine without the source attributing any particular woody notes to it.

At the table, for delicate cooking

I would serve it with white meats, white fish or mild cheeses, pairings indicated for this wine that let its personality express itself without overpowering it. For a first tasting, choose a simple meal and take the time to follow its profile between freshness and aging. The Sassotondo Numero Sei 2023 thus offers a fine occasion to taste Maremma through a less conventional route, attentive both to the grape variety and to the volcanic origin of the plot.