The estate
Using a radical variety of organic agriculture, we farm 8 hectares of Sangiovese vineyards which lie in 3 different plots of land: at 450, 350 metres altitude, located at San Polino and to the north of Montalcino.
The geology and soils of our vineyards vary from late Miocene to early Pliocine, from ancient sea beds to volcanic soils. Limey shale, clay, sandy loam, mineral rocks are all found in different proportions in the different vineyards ; and each soil type and altitude tells its story in the characteristics and personality of the grapes and wine.
We have a holistic attitude to viticulture, believing that we must respect, encourage and restore our biodiversity in the vineyard: the larger the pool of diversity, the greater possibility for a natural pest control and the healthier the grapes. To fertilize the fields we make our own compost using the stalks of the grape bunches, the pressed grape skins, all our green cuttings, from grass to prunings and animal dung. We plant grasses and beans to add nitrogen and nutrients to the soil.
We do not use any chemicals on the vineyards, also avoiding the use of sulphur as this fungicide upsets delicate balances of insect species. We need the presence of all these insects, good and bad, because only from this great vineyard melting pot ocan healthy and untainted grapes emerge.
We are open to the many challenges this approach to viticulture poses, and we are constantly learning and expanding our techniques in collaboration with teams of scientists and university researchers.
Our newest project is to spray microbiological mixes made from forest humus and green compost over the vineyards during the summer months with the aim of re-creating a forest microbiological harmony amongst the vines, where no particular pathology can gain the upper hand.
THE HELICHRYSUM VINEYARDS:
San Polino lies to the south-east of Montalcino, at 450m the farmhouse perches on a hilltop, surrounded by Mediterranean shrubland and forest. Around the farmstead and bordered by the forest we have 5 hectares of Sangiovese vineyard. The land here is arid, water is scarce, the soils are thin and mineral, influenced by the 180000 years ago eruption of the now extinct Monte Amiata (the soils are quartz and metamorphically compressed clay as in shale) and the flooding by the sea 3 million years ago (leaving sandy soil and marine fossils) from which we produce lean and thick-skinned grapes, perfect for the production of our Brunello di Montalcino Helichrysum, the wine taking its name from an aromatic herb that grows spontaneously in the hedgerows and rocky outcrops edging the vineyards.
Our Riserva also comes from here, but we leave this wine only for the extra-special vintages, special either because of their climatic excellence, or because of a uniqueness which gives the vintage particular meaning.
OUR NORTHERN VINEYARD:
We have a further 4 hectares of vineyard to the north-east of Montalcino. The soil is deeper and
fertile, lying at 300m metres altitude on the lower slopes of the Montalcino hill. Here the grapes grow juicy and plump: so from this vineyard comes our Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino.