Granpa Giuseppe and his brothers Lino and Paolo started to cultivate vineyards in the post-war period. These vineyards have been given to them by their father Italo. At the beginning the grapes were mostly sold and only a little part of them were allocated for the winemaking. Some years later, around the year 1960, sales increased and the whole production has been destined to the vinification. The method of sales was the bulk wine sold in the demijohns.
In 1970 Giuseppe's brothers decided to leave this activity and the Granpa handled the lands by himself. He decided to sell a lot of lands, but he kept the vineyards near the castle in which we currently produce our wines "Vigna Rondinella" and "Venti Pertiche".
These are the basic principles on which my viticulture is based:
● The protection of biodiversity and environment
● Grassing with autochthonous species
● Respect of the soil
I handle my vineyards with a philosophy and a critical reassessment of concepts, in order to minimize the environmental impact. I study the processes in a holistic way and by evaluating parameters as: CO2 emissions, phytotoxicity of copper, the soil compaction, the grapes health and the consequent lower number of treatments to be done in cellar.
The reduced area of vineyards (3 hectares, with a theoretical production of 20000 bot) has been defined in order to have a full control on production: this allows to produce highly selected grapes. It is carried out the grassing of the vineyard, together with a little soil preparation that takes place every 4 years, alternating the vine rows. The soil preparation consists in a milling*1 in Spring and a subsoiling*2 after the grape harvest. This allows the soil to be aerated and to integrate organic substances and to avoid the soil compaction. The outcomes per hectare are contained (about 75/85 quintals), for this reason the grapes obtained do not need ameliorations in the cellar.
The biodiversity is safeguarded not only with the agronomic practices applied in the vineyard but also protecting a woodland area that coincides with the 50% of the area planted with vines. The most extended woodland plot (approximately 10000 square metres) is next to the vineyards. It is a habitat that offers protection to the wildlife, composed by: roe deer, hares, badgers, porcupines, wild boars, hawks, foxes and many other animals.
The other important protection is the full compensation of CO2 by producing with zero impact. The woodland area absorbs all the carbon dioxide issued by the agronomic operations and by the must fermentation process.
The grassing of the vineyard with autochthonous species is used together with the woodland habitat. In this way it creates a grassland with flowering periods in which bees can collect honey and herbivores can browse the grass.
*1 Milling: agronomic practice that stirs the first 15-20cm of soil with an agricultural tool, moved by a tractor.
*2 Subsoiling: agronomic practice that moves the soil thanks to a sequence of vertical cuts, which reach 40 centimetres deep.