arrina, a small area in the Tuscan Maremma with an ancient grape-growing and winemaking tradition, extends from Albina to Ansedonia and on to the Argentario peninsula. The area is bounded in part by the river Albegna.The name is derived from the Spanish word parra, which means vine and pergola. The area was first called by that name in the 17th century by a group of pirates of Spanish origin, who settled in the district. That etymology has been contested, however, by those who argue that the name of the area is derived from that of a group of friars, Parrini, who established their monastery in the territory around the 12th century.
The wines of Parrina have had many admirers, including enologist Arturo Marescalchi, who described its vineyards, along with others in the Argentario zone, as among the finest in Tuscany. In recent decades, vitiviniculture has received a substantial boost through expansion of the vineyards and the introduction of new techniques of cultivation. Those efforts have resulted in a steady rise in the level of the wine's quality, an improvement recognized by the granting of the Denominazione di Origine Controllata in 1971.
