By Chiara Sebastiani
On the hills overlooking Lake Massaciuccoli, where the wind carries the scent of the sea and the reeds resound like an echo of Puccini’s arias, stands Tenuta Mariani, a company that has made the family passion a story of rebirth and elegance.
Founded in 2011 by Ido Mariani, Tenuta Mariani was born from the recovery of the land and old cellars that belonged to his grandparents: olive groves, vineyards and abandoned agricultural structures that, with time and dedication, have come back to life. “It all started almost as a game,” says Ido, “while my sisters and I were renovating the family farmhouse. From there the need arose to replant the vineyards and to put the olive groves back into production. It was a return to the origins.”
The path, however, was not limited to a simple agricultural recovery. A meeting with the Mondet family, producers of Champagne, marked a decisive turning point: “They made me discover the world of bubbles and passed on to me the love for the classic method. So I decided that my winery’s wine would follow that path.”
This is how the first sparkling wines of Tenuta Mariani were born, produced entirely on the farm — from the vineyard to bottling — with significant investments in disgorgement equipment and autoclaves. A project that combines innovation and respect for the territory: “We immediately converted all production to organic, without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and since 2015 we have obtained organic certification. For us it is essential that the wine expresses our terroir: the sand, the silt and the sea breeze of Versilia. It is precisely this proximity to the sea that gives our wines that unmistakable note of flavor and salinity, a distinctive trait that tells the story of our coast and makes every glass alive, fresh and authentic.”
Among the evocative names of Mariani labels, “Segreto” stands out, which contains a story of family and memory. “As children we used to go with our grandfather to the “secret vineyard of the castle”, a hill built on the remains of an ancient medieval manor, destroyed in 1200. It was a place that almost frightened us, full of woods and ruins. When we looked for a name for our first wine, the choice came naturally.” Thus was born ‘Segreto del Castello’, then simply Segreto, which has now become the brand and symbol of the winery.
Today the estate covers 20 hectares, 8 of which are vineyards, with a production of about 38,000 bottles destined to grow to 50,000 with the opening of the new winery in 2026. The wines tell two souls: that of the territory and that of research.
Among the main labels stand out: Segreto Brut, classic method of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the company’s symbolic wine. Segreto Brut Rosé, from Sangiovese, elegant and savory. Segreto Bianco (Vermentino) and Segreto Rosso (Merlot).
Among the Charmat method wines we have the SabbiaMare, a Sangiovese vinified in white, Vermentino and Chardonnay that contains the freshness and salinity of coastal soils and Stile Segreto pinot noir 100% vinified in white.
But the most surprising creation is Segreto del Mare, a sparkling wine aged for 18 months at a depth of 50 meters in the Tyrrhenian Sea. “It is an underwater refinement,” explains Ido, “which keeps the wine in the dark, with a constant temperature and a slight continuous movement due to the currents. It is like a natural riddling that enhances the aromas and makes the wine more elegant.”
The philosophy of Tenuta Mariani can also be found in the experiences offered on the farm: guided tours, outdoor tastings by the vineyard, pairings with typical products of Lucca and sensory paths between the lake, woods and olive groves. “Our guests like to see where the wine they are tasting comes from,” says Ido, “to understand that the Chardonnay they taste comes from the first twenty rows in front of them. It is an authentic experience, which binds those who visit to our territory.”
With the expansion of the cellar — about 700 square meters between the basement and the tasting area — Tenuta Mariani is preparing for a new chapter. An important investment, which for Ido is first and foremost a promise of continuity: “It’s a big step, but I’m taking it thinking of my son. In a few years he will decide how to continue this story. In the meantime, I want our land to continue to speak through bubbles.”
Info: Tenuta Mariani, Via Pietra a Padule 1881, Massaciuccoli, Lucca / Tel. +39 334 6240890 / +39 334 6527107 / www.cantinetenutamariani.it / info@cantinetemutamariani.it
