Our Philosophy

We believe that all life is linked by a single thread, forming a myriad of wondrous interconnections which encompass all of us here at San Polino: the people who work the land, the plants, animals, insects, microbes, and the wider natural systems that support them. This thread extends outwards to those who visit us, those who import our wines, and those who share a bottle, wherever they may be in the world.

We hold that the qualities of balance, harmony, elegance and structure which make an aesthetic object of a wine are a reflection of the richness of life of the ecosystems from which it comes. These are not only environmental values but also aesthetic ones. A wine that is alive and complex is the portrait of an exciting, dynamic place. 

When we purchased San Polino and its lands in 1990, we found a place that was untouched by modernisation. The soils had never seen a pesticide or herbicide, and the forests surrounding the property were pristine and wild. 

At the time, Gigi (Luigi Fabbro, co-owner and co-founder of San Polino winery), was working on sustainability projects in the Amazon forest, where he encountered the ancient permaculture practices of local indigenous communities. These systems continually renewed soil fertility through natural composting and close integration with the surrounding environment.

This philosophy was applied from the get-go to our agricultural principles. The pristine nature of the San Polino estate meant our job was not to restore, but to protect, to minimise the impact we had upon it and allow the existing ecosystems to thrive. We set out to create a self-sustaining winery, one that would tread lightly on the land and have minimal impact beyond it, whilst producing world-class, terroir-driven wines. 

As such, in 1994, San Polino became the first farm in Montalcino to obtain Organic certification, and we went on to pioneer a number of regenerative viticulture techniques that have since been adopted by many other wineries.

We work with a sense of curiosity and responsibility, always seeking to understand the dynamic ecosystems that support our vines. The better grasp we have of the complexities of these living systems, the better we can make our wines.

That is why we invite researchers - geologists, botanists, entomologists, ornithologists, yeast specialists and others - to collaborate with us. Why we observe, experiment and adapt.

Ongoing field trials for increased sustainability include the adoption of agroforestry - specifically vitiforestry - or the integration of trees within the vineyard. We are exploring how this technique - which was once common practice in pre-industrial agriculture - may increase soil biodiversity, increase mycelial (fungal) networks between plants, and contrast rising temperatures through the use of the natural shading afforded by the plants. This exciting, promising work is cutting-edge, while also rooted in tradition.

Our commitment to regeneration goes beyond the vineyard. We compost all vineyard waste, sow nitrogen-fixing plants, and avoid synthetic treatments, choosing instead to support the vine's natural allies - beneficial fungi, bacteria and insects.

Our fields are left unfenced for most of the year, and we encourage biodiversity by integrating hedgerows and maintaining wild corridors that support animal life. We never use synthetic pesticides. Instead, we inoculate the vineyards with friendly microbes and predatory insects that naturally outcompete or predate on pathogens. We keep bees and plant indigenous, insect-attracting wildflowers and grasses throughout our vineyard.

As members of The Porto Protocol, our environmental commitment also informs our choices in the cellar and beyond, including the use of lighter bottles, shorter capsules and sustainably sourced cardboard. All our electricity comes from renewable sources and our surrounding forests act as carbon sinks, supporting our aim of carbon neutrality.

We are certified organic (ICEA) and biodynamic (AgriBio Piemonte), members of the Italian Agroforestry Association, and recognised as a Natural Refuge. These affiliations support our long-standing effort to create wines that are both excellent and ecologically meaningful.

At San Polino, we believe that harmony in nature creates excellent wines. Our approach is grounded in regenerative farming, ecological awareness, and a long-standing commitment to working in deep relationship with the natural world in all its richness and complexity. 

We farm as if our lives depend on it, because they do. This philosophy is not static, but alive. It evolves with the land, the seasons, the people, and the knowledge we gain.

What remains constant is our belief that working with nature creates wines that carry not only flavour, but meaning. Wines with structure, longevity and a true expression of their terroir. 

We see each bottle of San Polino wine as a piece of performance art. It carries our philosophy of life, our family, our laughter and arguments, the rhythm of how we worked together. It holds the grape variety, the trees, the climate and rainfall, and how we managed the foliage. And on and on.

Curious to learn more about our research and regenerative work?

Visit Sharing Our Work to explore our latest collaborations, field trials, and published articles.