Vintage Character Fattoria La Maliosa 'Saturnalia' Rosso 2022 reflects a demanding Maremma season that recovered late enough to bring the grapes to good maturity. Drought began in winter, and temperatures above thirty degrees in early May disrupted flowering. Heat continued into mid-August before rain, arriving from late August through the middle of September, helped the vines resume their progress. Red grapes were harvested in stages from early September into the third week. Ciliegiolo, Sangiovese and Grenache Gris come together here, retaining an approachable shape after a year that required close observation and careful fruit selection.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing Cherry and blackberry give the nose its fruity core, with withered rose, forest-floor earth and black pepper supplying a more savoury register. The palate has medium weight, balanced tannins and enough acidity to keep the fruit moving. Its persistent finish is broad without losing freshness, making this a red to follow across a meal. Pair it with pasta and meat ragù, grilled chicken, or moderately aged sheep's cheese. The dishes match its uncomplicated fruit and gentle structure, while their savoury flavours draw out the wine's floral, earthy and peppery details.
Winery Background La Maliosa draws this cuvée mainly from a second selection of its historic local red varieties, including the wine obtained by gentle pressing. Fermentation relies on local yeasts, followed by four weeks of skin contact with periodic punching down. Around twenty months in wooden vessels gives the wine time to settle before release. The producer's Metodo Corino farming uses plant-based, closed-cycle regeneration, with home-grown hay mulch and careful attention to soil and vine longevity. These choices make 'Saturnalia' a characterful expression of a working Maremma landscape.