Organic Farm & Winery in Chianti: Tuscany pioneers since 1982
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- Organic Farm & Winery in Chianti: Tuscany pioneers since 1982
Vineyards, Olive orchards & Organic farming in Chianti
La Spinosa spreads over more than 74 hectares in the heart of Tuscany, situated at the bottom of a valley framed by the hills southwest of Barberino Val d’Elsa.
Our production is articulated across:
• 22 Hectares of Vineyards dedicated to the production of wines of excellence;
• 25 Hectares of Arable Land cultivated with rotating crops (durum wheat, spelt, forage);
• An Olive Grove of 3,000 Plants for our extra virgin olive oil.
Nearby the wine cellar, our land also hosts grazing horses, witnessing a live and integrated ecosystem.
Our philosophy: certified organic since 1994
The guiding principles of our work have prompted us, from the very beginning, to practice an integrated type of farming (Reg. EEC 2078), evolving since 1994 into certified organic farming, certified by the CCPB of Bologna.
To guarantee the maximum quality and healthiness:
• Organic fertilization: we exclusively use products of organic origin authorized by the organic certification guidelines.
• Weed control: we manage weeds only through mechanical operations, without chemical herbicides.
• Natural parasite defence: unlike conventional viticulture that uses "systemic" products which leave chemical residues in the plant, we use only contact products such as copper and sulfur, respecting the purity of the soil and of the final product.
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Production of wines, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Grains in the Chianti Terroir
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;
• The specific 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.
Chianti Organic Vineyards: terroir and sustainable viticulture
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 row: maintained with light harrowing and the passage of an overriding power harrow;
• One grassed row: maintained 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;
• Bacillus Thuringiensis against grapevine moth;
• Organic products for fertilization.
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;
• 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, achieving important environmental benefits:
• Saving energy;
• Reducing soil depletion;
• Reducing CO2 emissions.
The rotation between exploitative and improving crops, alongside fertilization carried out exclusively by the green manure method and with organic matter, also allows for adequate weed control.
The story of La Spinosa: pioneers of organic in Tuscany since 1982
1982: the beginning of our organic farming in Tuscany
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:
• Cultivation of vines, olives, grains, and vegetables;
• Animal husbandry;
• Agritourism.
2007: Viticultural evolution and organic wine production
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;
• Combine 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.
