With 2,095,380 hectares of surface and 81,732 operators, Italy is the third country in Europe for extension of organic area, after France and Spain, and first in Europe for the number of organic farms (ISMEA data - Institute of Services for the Agricultural Food Market 2022).
In fact, in recent years the organic sector has grown a lot, finding more and more interest among consumers and companies. Above all, for a sustainability discussion: organic agriculture is based on the principles of safeguarding and enhancing resources and respect for biodiversity, work and health. A more sustainable development model, therefore, which becomes an important practice and an ethical choice. A choice that the Monterufoli Estate, nestled in the splendid Monterufoli-Caselli Natural Park, has decided to carry out to protect this environmental heritage, achieving certification in 2021 and the production of the first organic wine, Vermentino Pian di Seta.
But what are the steps in the conversion from conventional to organic viticulture? Let's see it together!
Monterufoli Estate: an organic approach to all productions
Over a thousand hectares of unspoiled nature, located between Val di Cecina and Val di Cornia, in the province of Pisa, which is of great landscape importance: this is the Monterufoli Estate, which despite ancient history looks to the future. A future in which sustainability, protection of the territory and the presence of biodiversity will be increasingly important concepts against climate change and to guarantee quality products. In order to preserve and enhance this incredible heritage, starting from 2016 it was decided to adopt the organic method for all productions, from gardens to vineyards. In 2017 the process of "biological conversion" of the land began, which by law (EC Reg. 2092/91) must last at least three years, and in 2021 the certification arrived. But what does conversion involve? Let's deepen it.
Organic practices to protect the environment
Wine is a product of the earth, and that is why we should make sure to protect it and make the most of it. How? Through a path of biological conversion that provides for the "decontamination" of the soil for at least 3 years: in this period of time, every year, an authorized certifying company must check the state of the soil and its plants. To implement this conversion, a series of totally organic agronomic practices are used, starting with fertilization that will have to use natural and organic fertilizers and not, obviously, chemical ones: the production yield, therefore, will be lower, but in this way the groundwater and those on the surface will not carry nitrates and other pollutants into the sea.
In general, in organic agriculture it is not possible to use chemical products, both in the weeding phase of weeds, both in the fight against parasites, and in defoliation: the adoption of alternative and organic practices lengthen all these processes and interventions in the field, but they will also serve to protect the precious pollinating insects that play a fundamental role in agriculture, especially during the pollination period. The whole process must be organic, therefore: from the cultivation to the moment of harvesting the grapes, which must be done exclusively by hand, up to the vinification, for which the cleaning and sanitizing products used in the winery are necessarily organic, with a higher cost.
The processes of conventional and organic viticulture are the same, and this results in a qualitatively similar wine. What changes, however, is precisely the action of safeguarding the ecosystem, especially to preserve the aquifers and the biodiversity state of the soil microflora. A renewed relationship is therefore reconstructed between nature and winegrower, who is called to play the role of "keeper": he will not only have to worry about the vine, but everything around it. Because the vineyard is a complex ecosystem, and it is essential that everything is as balanced as possible to function at its best and ensure the end customer a product that is not only good, but also good for you.
From the vinification of 2021, the Vermentino Pian di Seta Bio IGT arrives
Tenute del Cerro's commitment to sustainability translates into numerous actions ranging from water saving with the collection of rainwater, innovative sensors in the vineyard and the use of latest generation agricultural vehicles, up to precision agriculture, for efficient and modern agronomic business management.
In this direction, the completion in 2021 of the organic conversion of the Monterufoli Estate, represents a stage of great importance, realized with the first organic production of Vermentino 2021.
In fact, from the 2021 manual harvest of the grapes, the first precious fruits arrived: the Vermentino Pian di Seta Bio IGT. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 15° C, at the end of which, the wine remains in stainless steel in contact with its fine lees for about 3 months. The result is a white wine that gives a unique complexity to the nose, in which fruity and floral notes can be recognized, enriched by mineral hints. The taste is soft, broad, with a fresh and savory finish, characteristics that make it a perfect pairing for fish dishes or medium-aged cheeses, or served as an aperitif.
Much more than a farmhouse, therefore: we could summarize the Monterufoli Estate in this way, which goes beyond the concept of hospitality, concentrating a set of essential values in a single place. The choice of adopting organic practices really wants to underline the philosophy of a location where everything is uncontaminated. Ready to discover it and taste the newcomer in the wine proposal of the Estate?
