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In those days a handshake was enough. In those days, Erik the Dane,
newly arrived in Montemerano, would challenge the local countrymen
to “morra” (“flashing fingers”) and deep
in the night would entwine his fingers, reddened by the blows, with
those of his adversaries: “Deal”, they would say, looking
each other in the eye, heedless of the fact that after so many drinks,
this was a task for a crack marksman. “Deal”, and Erik
the foreigner slept easy in the certainty that next day Cignale,
Toncausci, Tascapane, Calzafina and all the other winegrowers in
question would bring over their grapes as agreed. The agreed weight,
at the agreed price. Deal – Erik would make good wines from
those grapes.
Cignale, Calzafina, Erik the Dane, games of “morra” in
the cellars, handshakes worth a contract: these are not characters
and settings from a medieval novella or 19th century novel, but part
of a real history, the history of the day before yesterday - the late
Seventies, not so far in the past. And yet it feels like a hundred
years ago. And in the meantime, up until Two Thousand, a miraculous
economic downpour: the Maremma “vinaccio” (poor wine)
was transformed into red gold. A river in full flow, and crowds on
its banks ready to pan for it. The miracle of Morellino di Scansano,
a young DOC out to conquer the international markets, a powerful magnet
for investments and billionaire investors who, in just over fifteen
years, changed the income and habits of this little ancient world,
if not its face. Manna for a land starved of development; the end
of an era for those early pioneers, who replaced honest hands and
understanding looks with signatures and official documents, who preferred
account books and marketing strategies to games of “morra”.
This is Erik’s greatest regret. Erik Banti: Danish mother, Tuscan
father, shaped for the world in Rome and in the spirit by the hills
of Montepulciano, born again in the vineyards of Montemerano, resident
for business reasons in Scansano, at least half his heart lost to
the sunny shores of Spain, citizen of the five continents, who left
the castle of Isola Farnese to make his home today – between
flights – in a motorhome in Sutri. A nomadic spirit with strong
roots, speckled with real nobility. A pilgrim gentleman, a playboy
of life, who has flirted with a thousand experiences, many women and
countless countries, but proudly claims his paternal right: the miracle
of Morellino di Scansano, fruit of his long and passionate embrace
with the Maremma land. Because everyone agrees on one point –
friends and denigrators, hagiographers and objective experts, amateurs
and connoisseurs: the “mater certa” of Morellino may be
the Maremma, but the father of its success is Erik Banti. |
