In the Vineyard
“Good wine grows in the vineyard”
An healthy and environmental respectful approach, together with research and technology, have always been the inspiring principles of our family.
We believe that good wine grows in the vineyard. That’s why we commit ourselves to produce high quality grapes, respecting the typical of each cultivar. Helped by valid cooperators, we follow directly all the steps of elaboration in the vineyards, dedicating carefully and precisely to vineyards’ needs, so as they can express their highest potential.
Recent studies established that grape vine produces an extraordinary substance called resveratrol, it protects vine against climate injuries and ageing conveying in the wine its beneficial effects. Only this beneficial substance is not enough as far as the good result of the grape is concerned; also our continuous and constant commitment is needed.
Work inside vineyard involves us for most part of the year, approximately 800 worked hours/ha. Elaborations, included grape harvest, are manually performed by a team of experienced workers under Emanuela’s supervision. Each row and every single vine are lovely followed in order to foster a quality production.
We adopt a targeted phytosanitary fight, focused on the decrease of the vineyard’s operations. We don’t use chemical composts and during past time we succeeded in cancelling the use of pesticides; in order to defend the ground now we use two products with animal origin like cupper and sulphur, thus respecting and protecting the vines and the environment. For years, together with our colleagues and nearby winegrowers, we have been opposing the attacks of the noisy moths, exclusively using pheromones, the most up-to-date and ecological way to defense. All this contributes to keep and increase the microbiological vitality of the ground, which represents its unique and real fertility. Resuming: healthy grape, from healthy grounds.
“Doing less in order to do better”: this is our motto inside the vineyard. In order to let grapes grow up with more nourishment and sun energy, we carry out the so-called “green grape harvest”. Namely we cut the supernumerary grapes at the time of veraison. Moreover, for the finest productions, like the Teroldego Rotaliano “Dragon’s blood”, slightly before the grape harvest we eliminate the last berries of each bunch. The tip, or final part of the bunch is in fact the less fine and presents less ripe berries. Through these small cares we foster a quality-oriented production, where the last goal is to reach a perfect natural productive-vegetal balance inside the Vineyard.
Working with precision and commitment inside the vineyard allows us to obtain very healthy grapes, we pick up only when they reach the best ripeness degree. For each kind of grape we search for and personally test inside the vineyard the perfect phenolic and aromatic ripeness. The final choice of the time suitable for grape harvest becomes the synthesis between the weather evolution and the real ripeness of the bunches: a joyful challenge repeating in an ever different way during any grape harvest.
Sustainability
“The culture of sustainability”
Sustainability for us is not a trend, but since ever it is integral part of our culture. For a long time the cellar has been built following the principle of energetic sparing. To support this, barrique cellar, built at the end of 19th century and the storage warehouse, are both underground. This facilitates a natural, constant and best temperature for wine conservation. Also humidification of barrique cellar occurs through the natural rock sweating. Besides use of pumps in order to decant wine is limited, because we use a falling system, keeping the integrity of wine quality.
For several years the firm has been paying particular attention to the safeguard of environment also as far as the research for wine packaging materials is concerned. That’s why we choose ecological packaging and lighter glasses.
In the Cellar
“I give all myself to my wines, even my name: Marco Donati”
The excellent quality of the raw material makes our work in the cellar easier, allowing a natural vinification and evolution. The challenge is succeeding in conveying in the wine the commitment and the emotions we lived inside the vineyard. Therefore the quality is a due act in respect of nature, passion and present and past commitment. The good technique in the cellar is against improvisations, but on the contrary it requires time and continuous cares. That’s why we respect each wine’s needs, allowing it to reach its ripeness as long as it requires.
The art of vinification is granted by Marco’s mastery, descendant of a winegrowers’ family. Degreed in oenology by the fine Agrarian Institute in San Michele, he can rely on a long experience. The oenologist for us is not only a technician, but he must be aware of the meaning of product’s quality and the preferences featuring each market, faithful to tradition, open to new ideas and innovations, which highlight the interior quality of a good raw material.
In the cellar up-to-date technologies meet the most ancient and experienced oenologic traditions, creating wines, which are expression of typical with a modern taste. The choice of a moderate use of wood allows us to obtain full-bodied wines, harmonic but above all faithful to their features. Each year is never like another and final quality is the synthesis of many small but very important details.
It doesn’t exist a wine, but wines. That’s because each one includes inside secrets which make it unique. In wine being and becoming live together. A sip will never be like another. Each bottle includes a story to be told to the one who can taste it.
