WOLVES, "SPECIAL COLLABORATORS" OF TENUTE DEL CERRO: THEY PROTECT THE VINEYARDS IN UMBRIA AND TUSCANY FROM DAMAGE CAUSED BY OTHER ANIMALS

General Manager Antonio Donato: "Environmental and economic sustainability depends on specific business projects, but also on the perfect balance between animal species present in the area, and in this context, wolves are our allies".

In the context of the ever-growing environmental and economic sustainability of Tenute del Cerro, which operates wineries in Umbria and Tuscany, the return of wolves within the estates is becoming increasingly significant. “We can confidently say that they have become truly special collaborators", says General Manager Antonio Donato. He explains: “Within our estates, wolves protect the vineyards by driving away wild animals such as wild boars and roe deer, which is particularly important during the early vegetative phase of the vines". “We first spotted them in Umbria, but they have also returned to the Tuscan estates in recent years, to the point where it's not uncommon to encounter them in broad daylight among the vineyards or at the forest edges. In fact, on more than one occasion, we've been able to capture them on smartphones", Donato recounts. “Tenute del Cerro has long embarked on a major environmental sustainability project for all its productions, starting with wine production", the director adds. “Environmental and economic sustainability certainly involve specific business projects, which in some cases go beyond the classic organic protocols. But environmental sustainability inevitably involves everything that surrounds us, finding its fullest expression in the remarkable work of nature and the perfect balance between animal species. In this sense, wolves are our valuable allies", concludes the General Manager.

Donato, speaking about environmental sustainability, also addresses the issue of climate change, with increasingly ​scorching summers, especially in the more inland areas where Tenute del Cerro is located. “In the last 20-25 years, we have witnessed a real escalation in temperatures, which has required us to launch specific projects to combat drought and develop a series of initiatives aimed at respecting the environment", explains the director. “We have implemented protocols and actions that have already led to a drastic reduction in chemical use, but we will revisit this topic in the future".

“What is already a reality, however, is the irrigation system that now covers almost all of our vineyards", Donato emphasizes. “After creating reservoirs in the most suitable areas of the various estates, capable of holding about 150,000 cubic meters of rainwater", the general manager continues, “we have established a rescue water network that we activate during prolonged drought periods".​