Storia
The beginnings at Costa Marina
Azienda Agricola Ottaviano Lambruschi began in Castelnuovo Magra in the mid-1970s. Ottaviano Lambruschi decided to leave his work in the Carrara quarries and purchased 2 hectares of woodland at Costa Marina, within the same commune. With the enthusiastic assistance of his brother Alessandro, he progressively transformed the property, established the first vineyard and produced the family’s first estate wine. Costa Marina became both a foundational vineyard and the name of one of the estate’s earliest wines.
The approximately 4-hectare Costa Marina vineyard incorporates vines from three recorded planting phases: 1973, 2000 and 2010. The earliest of these plantings belongs to the same formative decade as the establishment of the business.
The second generation and modernization
During the 1980s, Ottaviano’s son Fabio earned a qualification in agricultural technology. He combined his interest in viticulture with more efficient production techniques, contributing to the development of a modern, innovative cellar while preserving the family’s traditional approach.
Expansion of the vineyards
The family subsequently expanded its holdings by acquiring vineyards in valued Ligurian winegrowing areas. A separate 2.5-hectare Colli di Luni DOC Vermentino holding was planted in stages between 1996 and 2012. The vineyard portfolio now encompasses young vines on the plain and lower hills, the Costa Marina vineyard and a site on the highest part of the hill overlooking the Costa Apuana.
A family dedication
In 2023, Le Due Rose joined the Liguria di Levante IGT range. Its name refers to Ylenia and Rachele, the family’s “two roses.”
Terroir
The vineyards are located in Castelnuovo Magra and the Colli di Luni area, occupying sites on the plain, lower hills and higher slopes.
Costa Marina is a south-east-facing hillside vineyard at approximately 220 m above sea level. The sea is visible from the hill. Its medium-textured soils contain red earth associated with iron and other mineral material.
A separate Colli di Luni DOC Vermentino holding lies at approximately 100–200 m above sea level, also facing south-east. Its soil is rich in clay.
The vineyard associated with the estate’s Vermentino Superiore occupies the highest part of the hill and overlooks the full sweep of the Costa Apuana. Its proximity to the Carrara quarries is linked with saline and mineral expression and aromas recalling Mediterranean scrub.
The youngest vineyards are divided between the plain and lower hills. A Merlot site is situated in Castelnuovo Magra, in the heart of the Colli di Luni area.
Vinificazione
Work is followed continuously through every stage in the vineyard, with particular emphasis on grape selection.
Two training systems are documented. Costa Marina uses capovolto semplice, while the 2.5-hectare Colli di Luni DOC Vermentino holding is Guyot-trained. Both use vine spacing of 2.50 × 1.00 m. Costa Marina contains several Vermentino clones and rootstocks.
Harvest timing varies by site. Picking at Costa Marina begins during the first ten days of September, while the Colli di Luni DOC Vermentino holding at 100–200 m is normally harvested around the middle of September.
The production approach combines modern, efficient cellar techniques with the preservation of family tradition. Care extends through the cellar operations, while grape selection serves as a central quality measure.
The documented bottling calendar varies by vineyard origin. Wine from the Colli di Luni DOC holding at 100–200 m is bottled in December or January, while Costa Marina is bottled between March and June.
Filosofia
The family’s approach combines technical modernization with continuity. Fabio Lambruschi’s agricultural training supported the adoption of more efficient methods and the creation of a modern cellar, while tradition remained an explicit part of the estate’s identity.
Quality is pursued through consistent attention in both vineyard and cellar and through careful grape selection. The objective is a classical stylistic character rooted in the estate’s different vineyard positions.