Museo Archeologico e della Vite e del Vino di Scansano

The Archaeological and Vine and Wine Museum of Scansano is housed in the fifteenth-century Palazzo Pretorio. Its collections trace the history of the Maremma through archaeological finds and the region's long relationship with wine production.

Why it matters

The museum brings together two aspects of Scansano's identity: the archaeological record of the surrounding countryside and the cultivation of vines that later made the area known for Morellino di Scansano.

What to notice

Finds from the Etruscan sanctuary of Ghiaccio Forte include votive objects from rural worship. The displays also present material from the Roman villa at Aia Nova and evidence of Etruscan wine production and trade. A separate section explores the relationship between soil, climate and local wine through tools, labels and regional varieties.

Context and history

The Palazzo Pretorio served as a courthouse and prison during the estatatura, when public offices moved from Grosseto to the hills in summer. Scansano's Morellino received DOC status in 1978 and DOCG status from the 2006 harvest. The museum links this modern viticultural history to the area's much older archaeological record.