Organic Farm
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Farm and work
La Spinosa sits at the bottom of a valley framed by the gentle ridges of the hills that lie south-west of Barberino val d’Elsa. The farm spreads over more than 74 hectares, 22 of which consist of vineyards, while 25 are cultivated with rotating crops (durum wheat, spelt, forage). Our olive grove consists of 3000 plants. Nearby the wine cellar, we also fenced off a portion of land for our horses to graze.
From the very beginning, the guiding principles of our work have prompted us to adopt an integrated type of farming (reg. EEC 2078), eventually switching to organic farming since 1994, as certified by the CCPB of Bologna.
We only use organic fertilizers provided for by the organic certification guidelines and we take care of weed infestations only through mechanical operations.
For our pesticide defences, we use only “contact” products such as copper and sulfur, whereas most conventional vineyard cultivations make also use of “systemic” pesticides, compounds that manage to infiltrate the plant leaving chemical residues.
The production
Our way of farming aims to let our products express the characteristics of the soils and the peculiarities of the years of production. Our grains, our Oil and especially our wines, faithfully reflect the character of the land and the period in which they are born, grow and are harvested. The processing, carried out with prevalent use of human labor, respects traditional local practices, a direct legacy of ancient peasant Tuscany.
Vineyards
Our vineyards are located in the Chianti region between Florence and Siena, at an average altitude of 300 meters above sea level. The soils, mainly of morainic origin, consist of Pliocene sand formations. The Mediterranean climate and favorable exposure, together with the practice of organic farming, allow us to produce quality wines whose characteristics enhance the typicality of the vines and soils.
To produce good, healthy wine, we must start with soil management, which we maintain in alternating rows, one tilled and one grassed. We maintain the tilled row with light harrowing and the passage of an overriding power harrow, and the grassed one with mixed legume and grass essences, mowed 2 or 3 times a year depending on rainfall. We thus optimize water management, generating a vegetative-productive balance that has beneficial effects on grape quality. For phytosanitary treatments we use only copper and sulfur, against downy mildew and powdery mildew, and Bacillus Thuringiensis against grapevine moth, and for fertilization we use only organic products.
Soil management and balanced fertilization allow us to obtain sparse clusters, rarely affected by botrytis. In particularly favorable years, we keep production medium-low with thinning, carried out in early July at cluster closure, and in late July before veraison. We thus keep the quantity of grapes, on average, between 1 kg and 1.5 kg per vine.
The olive grove and arable land
We work the arable land with equipment that moves the soil only superficially, saving energy and reducing both soil depletion and CO2 emissions. The rotation between exploitative and improving crops, fertilization carried out exclusively by the green manure method and with organic matter, also allows for adequate weed control.
Our history
1982
Farming is our life choice, and not the easiest one. Since the 1980s we have focused on organic farming by experimenting with traditional working methods. The scope of our activities has thus expanded to include the cultivation of vines, vegetables, olives and grains, animal husbandry and agritourism.
2007
We have radically reorganized our activities by focusing increasingly on wine production and trade. The now strong ties with the Tuscan agricultural heritage have allowed us to recover classic production methods by combining them with the most advanced organic practices.
2009
The crisis has thrown us a challenge that we have taken up by strengthening our commercial network. We took over Canto di Baccio, a typical food store located in the historic center of Barberino val d'Elsa, where you can taste and buy our entire production in a charming setting.
2017
We decided to strengthen our production and commercial structure by building a new winery equipped with rooms dedicated to guest reception and wine tasting. A part of the new building also houses a laboratory dedicated to the processing of fresh products.
