The soil owned by the firm has two different origins and compositions:

  • The hilly area belongs to a moraine hill connected to the glacial Tyrolean side, formed by mainly consolidated glacial deposits, in which there are very different soils. The textures of the substrate are uniformly sandly loam.
  • The area at the foot of the hills belongs to the alluvial plain dating back to the Late-Glacial Wurm. The modal surface of the terraces is formed by a thin sandly loam clayey layer, which covers some gravel and clayey materials and the soil is red and well-differentiated.

Following the natural inclination of the two different types of lands, in the hilly area with a sandly loam substrate there are white wine grapes and olive-trees, whilst in the area with a sandly loam clayey texture there are black wine grapes and apple orchards.

 

Varieties of grapevines cultivated:

 

White wine grapes:

Chardonnay, Riesling, Trebbianello, Trebbiano Toscano, Garfanega, Incrocio Manzoni;

 

Black wine grapes:

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rondinella, Sangiovese, Corvina, Corvinone;

 

From the very first moment, the renewal of the vineyards has always been the priority. The replanting, among the old variety with black grape, of Corvina and Rondinella, and, among those with black grapes, of the Trebbianello, have been made using the scions obtained by pre-existing grapevines, identified throw a selection. Then, the same process has been applied to the Tuscan Trebbiano and to the selection of specimens of Graganega spargola.

 

The oldest vineyards, planted at the beginning of the 1970s, are cultivated in Cazenave with a density of 3.000 stumps per hectare. Even if this particular form of upbringing does not follow the philosophy of the company, their age (40 years old) enables to obtain some excellent grapes. That’s the reason why they are extirpated only in case of relevant failed plantations.

 

At the beginning of the 1990s, the company organized a progressive reconversion of the vineyards, with the transition to a restrained form of cultivation with a major density of impact. The forms of cultivation are Guyot Poussard and Cordon de Royat: the first one is used for the autochthonous varieties and the second one is used for the international vineyards. The density of the impact can vary from 7,000 plants per hectare in the hilly area to 5,000 plants per hectare in the underneath area.  The rows of vine are characterized by an alternating grass cover, in order to protect the fertility of the soil and its biodiversity. Moreover, there is an emergency installation for the irrigation, which is essential to save the plants from the water stress during the dry summers.

 

The company tried to limit the environmental impact as much as possible, thanks to the incorporate defence against the parasite attacks. An electrical equipment monitors the meteorological conditions and enables to react against peronospora, oudium or botrytis only when it is strictly necessary, identifying the moment in which the weather allows the development of the infections in the vineyards. The pursuit of high quality turns into an intentional low yield: 80 quintals per hectare for the white wine grapes, 10-20 quintals more for the white wine grapes.

 

The wine cellar, built in 1980 and constantly renovated with a modern equipment, has stainless steel wine vases for 3500 hectolitres. It is organised in an unusual way, because it can rely on the synergies with other facilities installed within the firm: for example, refrigerators for the fruit storage are used for the cryomaceration of the grapes. Casks and barrels are adapted to the dimension of the company: there are four casks up to 30 hectolitres made by oak of Slavonia for the Bardolino Superiore and 35 barriques up to 225 litres made by oak of Allier for the refinement of some particular wines.

 

Varieties of the apple trees:

Royal galaclone Brookfield

Fuji Kiku 8

 

The apple trees are cultivated at slender spindle system, growing up to 3,5 meters and with a density of 3,300 plants per hectare.

 

Varieties of olive trees (planted at the beginning of the 1900)

90% Grignano, 5% Favarol, 5% Drop

 

Olive trees are cultivated in a polyconic way, with a density of 400 plants per hectare.