Vineyards
i vigneti
The Valdarno di Sopra is characterized by heterogeneous, well-drained soils rich in rocky skeletons, especially in the hilly areas that rise towards Pratomagno. Sediments and deposits of sand, clay, and gravel reveal its complex geological origins, mainly linked to an ancient lake basin from the Pliocene-Pleistocene period.
It is the erosion of these sediments that gave origin to the Balze, the spectacular stratified pillars that define and make the landscape unique.
Our vineyards, which cover a total area of 4 hectares divided into three main parcels, fully reflect this geological complexity. Although located a short distance from each other, the marked diversity of the soils is able to confer substantial differences on the wines produced from them.
Caratteristiche diverse
This is our vineyard in San Giustino Valdarno, on the slopes of Pratomagno, surrounded by beech woods and olive groves. Here, the Sangiovese vines, trained in the Guyot system, have an average age of 25 years. The soils are characterized by layers of well-drained sand and clay, which contribute to giving the grapes balance and expressive depth.
This is our largest vineyard, located along the Via dei Setteponti. It is composed of Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc, with vines between 15 and 25 years old. Surrounded by woods and olive groves, it is distinguished by a steeper slope and silty-sandy soils interspersed with layers of gravel. This vineyard produces the grapes for Vigna Ruschieto, a single-varietal Sangiovese with great varietal and territorial expression, as well as those for our Osato rosé and La Nocetta: the first a pure Cabernet Franc, the second a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc.
It is our third vineyard, the youngest and perhaps the most challenging, both in terms of the variety grown and the type of training system and geological characteristics of the soil. The grape variety is Orpicchio, a native Tuscan white grape saved from extinction only a few years ago, trained using the alberello method on soils composed of layers of rock and schist, on steep slopes with ideal exposure. Here, at Poggiolo, our first small production of white wine was born: a full-bodied, tense and savory wine, capable of encapsulating the most authentic soul of the Valdarno di Sopra.
orpicchio
Orpicchio is a white grape variety that derives directly from Visparola, which germplasm studies have identified as an ancestral variety. It had been abandoned by farmers, so much so that between the 1970s and 1980s, CREA found only two vines.
It is due to their studies in an experimental vineyard and this initial propagation that this ancient variety has been rediscovered and preserved.
After a few very small micro-vinifications, we are now experimenting with the evolution and training of Orpicchio. We are getting to know each other, trying to understand its specific characteristics.
We were happy to join G.R.A.S.P.O., the association of producers of ancient vines, because these reliquies must find a protected, attentive, and supportive environment.
Here are some photos of Orpicchio, its leaves, its bunches, and the trials we are conducting, because our love for this land and for growing grapes and making wine is a continuous process of discovery and rediscovery, a way to expand our skills and capabilities. With humility, passion, and joy.
Here is the technical data sheet from the Region of Tuscany.
http://germoplasma.regione.toscana.it/MESI_Menu/Elemento.php?ID=5
"My choice in winemaking is not to add anything except what is necessary to protect it, in the bottle for me there has to be and feel only the grapes."
– Ettore Ciancico, Founder and Owner
enotourism
Book a visit, a tasting or an event, you will get a first-hand insight into the magical atmosphere of Valdarno di Sopra and our way of interpreting it. Through our wines and the story of us and our way of producing them, we are sure you will leave satisfied.