Our vineyards are all owned, we do not buy grapes, we do not have rented vineyards: in this way we have 100% control of our grapes. All our vineyards are Alberello Etneo, cultivated in the traditional way as has always been done on Etna. In our vineyards there are no iron or concrete poles, iron wires on which to rest the vines: only and exclusively chestnut poles from Etna. We do not use plastic to tie the vines, only organic ropes in natural fibers (plastic, year after year, ends up in the vineyard polluting it). We don't use large and heavy tractors that compact the soil. For the fertilization of our vineyards we use sheep manure that comes from local sheepfolds where the sheep stop at night after a day of grazing in the Etna land and then raised in a natural way. We go ourselves to recover it when it is ripe and suitable for our vineyards, so it is zero km, it is not treated by industries far from Etna.
We know personally the shepherds and sheep who produce our manure. We want to maintain human relations with our territory. In the vineyard we prefer to do little or no treatment with sulfur or copper and therefore we free the bunches from the leaves to allow air recirculation and natural defense against diseases: it is an expensive manual practice, but fantastic for the quality of the grapes. We do not use irrigation for vines: adding water for a long time leads to the waste of water and the increase in the surface concentration of salts in the soil with consequent sterilization of the soil. In our vineyards we have 8,000 to 10,000 plants per hectare: we work manually for 200 days a year per hectare. This means that more than 80% of the work done manually by native workers in the vineyards is returned to the local economy. Most of the tools we use in the vineyard and in the Palmento are produced by local artisans.
The health of our land, where we live, is an essential goal for us. All our vineyards are terraced to preserve and safeguard the territory; All our vineyards are within natural ecosystems, oaks, chestnut trees, wild aromatic plants (oregano, thyme, helichrysum, giant valerian, etc.). To preserve and spread insects such as bees, butterflies, etc. Our vineyards share the land with other native plants: apples, cherries, pears, hazelnuts, plums and strawberries to reduce the impact of monoculture and increase biodiversity.
The total area of the company is 7 hectares, of which 5 are planted with vines for the production of Etna reds, Etna superior whites and rosés.
