Storia
Origin of the project
Talamo a Mare originated with Marco Bacci, who noticed that wines appeared to improve while being carried aboard his boat. That observation inspired an experimental approach in which a red wine would complete its maturation underwater rather than remain exclusively in a conventional cellar.
Creation of the underwater cellar
The project was established in the sea off Talamone, facing the Argentario promontory. A batch of 9,000 bottles of Talamo IGT was lowered to a depth of 35 metres. The operation required a 40-metre pontoon, specialist divers and collaboration with Cressi Sub.
The bottles complete their refinement in a marine environment characterised by stable temperature and pressure. At the immersion depth, pressure is approximately 4.5 bar. The movement of the sea is deliberately incorporated into the maturation concept.
Maturation model
The red wine first receives an initial period of maturation in barriques. It is then placed underwater in bottle for 12 months. Constant pressure, stable temperature and severely restricted light are intended to influence the wine’s evolution, balance, aromatic finesse and complexity.
The resulting project forms Bacci Wines’ dedicated underwater cellar for red-wine maturation and represents an experimental extension of the group’s Tuscan wine activities.
Terroir
Talamo a Mare’s maturation environment lies in the sea off Talamone, facing the Argentario promontory. Bottles rest 35 metres below the surface, where pressure reaches approximately 4.5 bar.
Stable temperature and pressure create a naturally constant environment for bottle maturation. Light at this depth is heavily restricted, while the continuous natural movement of the sea forms an active part of the project’s approach. These conditions are intended to contribute additional nuance, depth, complexity, balance and aromatic finesse during refinement.
Vinificazione
Preliminary maturation
Talamo a Mare is a red wine produced by Terre di Talamo in Maremma Toscana. Before immersion, the wine undergoes an initial period of maturation in barriques.
Underwater bottle maturation
The wine is subsequently aged in bottle for 12 months at a depth of 35 metres in the sea off Talamone. The underwater cellar provides stable temperature, pressure of approximately 4.5 bar and severely restricted light. The project associates these conditions with a gradual evolution of complexity, balance and aromatic finesse.
The natural movement of the sea is treated as part of the maturation process rather than something to be isolated from the bottles. The experimental batch comprises 9,000 bottles of Talamo IGT.
Immersion operation
Lowering and positioning the bottles required a 40-metre pontoon, specialist diving personnel and collaboration with diving-equipment company Cressi Sub.
Filosofia
Talamo a Mare is conceived as a meeting point between winemaking experimentation and environmental responsibility. Its stated aim is to refine wine without ecological impact while using the existing physical conditions of the sea—temperature, pressure, restricted light and natural movement—as elements of maturation.
The project reflects Marco Bacci’s broader interest in nature and in combining established wine practices with technical experimentation. Conventional barrique maturation is retained as the first stage, while the final year of bottle refinement is transferred to the marine environment. The intended result is not merely novelty, but greater nuance, depth, complexity, balance and aromatic finesse.
Vini
