A note from the Barone Pizzini agronomist Pierluigi Donna: Here are the first flowers that announce the vine’s upcoming production. It’s a very delicate phase in which the interaction between all the essences present in the soil and the biodiversity of the organisms become active again after the winter break. With their presence and complexity, … Read more
Above: A photo taken recently of vineyards at Pievalta in Castelli di Jesi. Is the grass on the other side of the fence really greener? I often ask myself this when I see vineyards, where a certain hierarchy is in place, where the grass is cut low like an English lawn and the space between rows … Read more
Above: Le Basi is a company that produces 100% certified organic “zero kilometer” prepared pizza and focaccia doughs. Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 20), from 4-8 p.m., Pievalta will be pouring its Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi at the organic food store Bìos in the town of Monsano (province of Ancona). The Bìos store (no website) is … Read more
Above: Last year, the ancient monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa in Franciacorta was the site of a conference devoted to the effects of pesticides on the health of residents in farming communities. As winery manager Marta Piovani put it in an email to me yesterday, “the monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa is an … Read more
Founded in 1870, Barone Pizzini is one of the oldest wineries in Franciacorta and it was the first estate in the appellation to practice organic farming. Ever since its conversion in the 1990s and the organic certification of all its vineyards in 2001, the winemaking team at Barone Pizzini has remained faithful to its belief … Read more
Barone Pizzini vineyard manager Pierluigi Donna was born and raised in the heart of Franciacorta and has worked with the winery group since 1998. He recently took time out from his work in the vineyards to chat (electronically) with blogmaster Jeremy Parzen. Jeremy Parzen (JP): Barone Pizzini is not a biodynamic estate. But you often … Read more
Above: The logo of the Vini di Vignaioli (Grape Grower Wines) fair gets straight to the point. Human + Grape Bunch = Wine. Week before last, the Pievalta winery poured its wines at the Vini di Vignaioli fair held outside of Parma. Vini di Vignaioli means “grape grower wines” and the concept behind the event … Read more