2022 Ampeleia “Bianco di Ampeleia” Toscana
Made primarily from Trebbiano and Ansonica with a touch of skin contact, this textured, amber-hued white is a compelling expression
Producer
Ampeleia
I have reviewed three wines from Ampeleia, from the 2022 to 2023 vintages, all from Toscana. Scores range from 90 to 94, averaging 92; the highest is the 2022 Ampeleia “Bianco di Ampeleia” Toscana (94 points).
Ampeleia was founded in 2002 by Elisabetta Foradori, Thomas Widmann and Giovanni Podini in the hills above Roccatederighi, in Tuscany’s inland Maremma. The estate is farmed biodynamically across three distinct altitude bands, and its identity rests on Mediterranean varieties rather than the Sangiovese orthodoxy of central Tuscany: Cabernet Franc, Alicante Nero, Carignano and Grenache, alongside skin-contact whites. Fermentations use native yeasts, and ageing happens largely in cement and neutral wood, giving the wines lift, savor and a distinctly herbal signature.
The Cabernet Franc shows the aromatic lift and finesse of the estate’s farming and cool microclimate: crushed raspberry, dried herbs, violets and graphite over silky tannins. The Bianco di Ampeleia, mainly Trebbiano and Ansonica with a touch of skin contact, is an amber, textured white of dried apricot, orange peel and herbs — an orange wine for everyone.
UnLitro, a one-litre blend led by Alicante Nero and Carignano, has become a benchmark for serious everyday drinking: fresh, chillable and full of wild berries and herbs.
2022 Ampeleia “Cabernet Franc” Toscana
This varietal Cabernet Franc from the hills above the Tuscan coast shows the aromatic lift and finesse of Ampeleia’s biodynamic
2023 Ampeleia “UnLitro” Toscana
A joyful, easygoing red blend from coastal Tuscany, “Unlitro” is bottled in a one-liter format to encourage sharing. Sourced from