POSTCARD FROM…Capalbio, Tuscany

A few days spent exploring the herb-scented, sun-splashed wild coast of Maremma, with its medieval villages, small family-owned wineries and one surreal sculpture garden

By Andrea Franchini

Hello from…

Capalbio, tucked between picturesque hills and Tuscany’s Maremma coast, less than half an hour from Il Pellicano hotel in Porto Ercole. Over the past two decades, Capalbio has become a favorite summer retreat for Roman literati, politicians and moviemakers. Picture the Sonoma coast mixed with Hamptons dunes, but with medieval villages and small multi-generational family wineries scattered throughout.

Villa Zen

Where I'm staying…

I grew up spending my summers in Porto Ercole, where my parents still have a home, but this year my partner Cian’s family decided to rent a beautiful restored farmhouse in Capalbio (the Villa Zen, through the local agent who everyone here uses). The villa sits on a hill surrounded by rosemary and juniper bushes, figs and pine trees, and overlooks the blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It also has a vegetable garden filled with tomatoes, zucchini, artichokes, onions, garlic, and eggplant, as well as fig and apricot trees. The house definitely lived up to its name!

The best meal I had…

Dinner at Il Frantoio, in the old borgo of Capalbio. Housed in the town’s old olive oil mill, for 50 years it has also been a cultural and gastronomic center hosting conversations, live music and book readings in a modern-rustic space. The menu centers around flavors of the Tuscan sea and countryside: think homemade pasta with truffle sauce, grilled meats and delicate seafood. My favorite dish was their buttera steak grilled with rosemary sprigs with rosemary-infused EVOO.

The best cocktails were at Locanda Rossa, a hotel and former private estate that opened few years ago in the Capalbio hills, decorated by Rome-based interior designer Tommaso Ziffer. Its Red Bar serves classic cocktails with a twist (Italy isn’t exactly known for inventive mixology!). We loved the Locanda martini made with Gin Mare and Noilly Prat, and infused with thyme, olive bitters and orange bitters.

Most fun thing I did…

Left: Monteverro; Right: Agricola Il Ponte

Capalbio, within the wider Maremma, is also an esteemed wine region known for its largely organic rosés, as well as for vermentino, cabernet, ansonica and trebbiano grapes. Hot sunny days, cool nights and proximity to the sea tend to give the wines a distinct minerality and saltiness, while organic and sustainable farming widely practiced here ensure that the wines reflect the authentic flavors of the land while respecting the surrounding ecosystem. With so many vineyards in the region, we couldn’t pass up visiting a few local estates and winemakers. (Appointments are recommended, though sometimes these wineries will offer impromptu tastings.)

We enjoyed our visit to Tenuta Ammiraglia, belonging to the Frescobaldi family, whose estate winery resembles a sleek ship. We tried their Alìe, a refined light rosé produced from syrah and vermentino; a Masso Vivo, a very fresh 100% vermentino; and their Terre More Maremma, a red blend. We also loved touring and tasting wines from Azienda Agricola Il Ponte, which makes a locally-typical skin-contact wine called ansonica (my favorite). At Tenuta Monteti, we tasted a small production of a fresh and delicate rosé called TM Rose. And finally on to Monteverro, overseen by Jean Hoefliger—named one of the world’s top five winemakers—which produces mostly red blends (Monteverro, Tinata, Terra di Monteverro and Verruzzo).

We also rented a boat through a broker (you can also go directly to the boat charter company) for a very reasonable price and sailed around the Porto Ercole coast, enjoying the blue and emerald-green waters. The boat dropped us right on the dock of the Il Pellicano hotel just in time for cocktails crafted by the resort's legendary bartender, Federico: a Pelican Martini and Teller Negroni.

The book I read (and would recommend)…

Like a Rolling Stone by Jann Wenner. It’s a captivating autobiography that delves into the life and cultural impact of the legendary founder of Rolling Stone magazine. It’s a touching and honest memoir with some amazing insights on the rock-and-roll generation, and the impact the magazine has had on politics, lifestyle and music since its inception.

A thing or two I learned…

Niki de Saint Phalle's Tarot Garden

I would say “re-learned,” as I returned to Niki de Saint Phalle's Tarot Garden, a whimsical sculpture park inspired by tarot cards. In the late 1970s, Saint Phalle acquired a plot of land in Capalbio from the Caracciolo family and began transforming it into a kaleidoscopic wonderland. Over two decades, the artist created monumental sculptures representing different tarot cards. The garden is a vibrant, symbol-rich sanctuary for introspection and connection with archetypal forces—a transformative experience.

Also, I read up on local history: Originally settled by the Etruscans, Capalbio later became a strategic outpost for the Romans, and then in 806 A.D., became the property of the Tre Fontane Abbey in Rome. Around 1200, the village was ruled by the Aldobrandeschi family, became property of The Republic of Siena, and was under the influence of various medieval noble families before it was finally colonized by Spanish troops, which threw the town into an economic depression (recently reversed by the influx of creative types from Rome and Milan). All of these influences can still be felt throughout the village when you walk the narrow streets, past ancient walls and Medieval architectural treasures.

The best thing I’m bringing home… 

Not bringing but getting shipped to New York: a few cases of ansonica, the white wine from Agricola Il Ponte winery.

Andrea Franchini is a brand marketing and hospitality expert. He is currently market director of culture & entertainment at EDITION Hotels.