About Tua Rita

Tua Rita was founded in 1984 by Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti near Suvereto in the Alto Maremma just a few miles from the Tuscan coast. While several other Super Tuscan producers had begun cultivating international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah further north near Bolgheri, Tua Rita was the first to pursue them further south closer to Livorno. Launching its first high-end wine in 1992 (the Giusto di Notri Bordeaux blend), the winery received immediate recognition and experienced meteoric growth over the next several years, culminating in its 2000 Redigaffi (100% Merlot) becoming the first Italian wine ever to receive a 100-point score from Robert Parker. Tua Rita is one of Italy’s most exceptional craft winemakers, and the standard-bearer for the now dozens of wineries that have come to populate the surrounding region.

Tua Rita is located in the Alto Maremma, between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the metalliferous hills known as the Val di Cornia. Today, the estate has 57 hectares under vine at an average elevation of 100 meters above sea level. The vines are planted at a density of 8-9,000 vines per hectare on silt and clay soil, a unique terroir that yields an unmistakable style to the wines — aromatically distinguished by iron-like nuances and an impressive, intensely savory progression in the mouth along with a distinctive saline character.

Vineyard management and winemaking have been handled since early on by the esteemed Luca D’Attoma, while Rita and Virgilio’s son-in-law Stefano Frascolla is active in the cellar and manages the business operations along with his son, Giovanni.

Fruit from the scrupulously managed vineyards is cosseted by non-intrusive cellar protocols, restrained cask conditioning and rigorous attention to the environment, with yields kept to a minimum to ensure flavor concentration. During harvest the bunches are chosen and destemmed, and then the individual grapes are selected by hand. They are then sent to temperature-controlled truncated conical vats, where they undergo traditional fermentation for 25 to 30 days, with alternating pump-over and punch-down operations. After vinification is complete, the wine is lightly pressed, after which it falls directly into barriques located in the room under the cellar. It is here that the wines, having completed malolactic fermentation, will mature in oak for at least eighteen months.

Tua Rita produces the following wines: Redigaffi (100% Merlot), Syrah Per Sempre (100% Syrah), Giusto di Notri (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc), Perlato del Bosco (a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon), and a “second vin” Rosso di Notri, obtained from a blend of all the red-berried varieties grown on the estate.

They also recently acquired Poggio Argentiera from nearby in the Maremma, whose single-varietal wines will also be offered to the mailing list.

Tours of Tua Rita’s vineyards and cellar — bringing you through the vine rows before visiting the winemaking and maturation cellars — can be arranged by pre-booking via this link.