Tenuta di Valgiano is a Biodynamic estate in Frazione Valgiano in Lucca in the Colline Lucchesi DOC region of Tuscany. Valgiano lies at 250 metres above sea level on a hillside 10 km north-east of Lucca in northern Tuscany in a frazione of Capannori called Valgiano. The estate is only 20km from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Owners: Moreno Petrini. He is from this area and was born within 200 metres of Valgiano. He became a businessman. His parents have a house lower down the valley. Used to work with horses in the UK. Moreno wanted to live here and get Valgiano back in shape. The property was rundown. His wife is Laura di Collobiano. Laura’s mother is the sister of Noemi Marone Cinzano’s mother. Laura is from Turin (Agnelli family). She attended Sherborne girls school (1980-85). Saverio Petrilli joined in 1994 after Moreno and Laura, who were buying the property, asked him whether it was a good spot to make wine. Saverio is from Lucca. He had worked in New Zealand at Nobilo and in Australia at Brokenwood. He came here in 1997. He says ‘Moreno Petrini hired me because he knew I was very open-minded and suited to take on and respect the history of Valgiano.’ From 1999 Saverio started using Biodynamics here. Saverio told me ‘the estate was beautiful but run down, and we started planting vineyards.’ In 1997 Saverio took the estate organic, and in 2001 with Moreno and Laura’s blessing he took it Biodynamic. Saverio describes Lucca as an atypical Tuscany region (follow the link to the Colline Lucchesi DOC, above). 

Vineyards: 2010 16ha of vines and 10ha of olives.

Soil & wine style: Saverio Petrilli says the soil ‘is what geologists call “reverse duplex.” It’s a calcareous marl in which the river deposited acidic sandstone from the top. The geologists call it “reverse duplex” because the acidic sandstone is actually the older soil which was exposed. When the African plate started to bump into Europe, it created what are now the Apennines. The calcareous marl slid down, and then the alluvia brought it back. Now the two soils, acidic and alkaline, clash one against the other, and in this contrast you get a great expression of the terroir. The lower part being marney clay, calcareous marl is what gives structure and ageing potential to the wine. On top the river deposited an alluvial mineral-rich silica sandstone which provides aroma and drinkability. The alluvial sandstone–despite being the older of the two soil types–has in fact ended up on top of the calcareous marl. One is acidic, the other one is alkaline. I think great things only come out of a contrast. We’re very lucky for it. The first part is the acidic sandstone; very easy to develop roots, good drainage. The bottom part is a calcareous marl clay soil. The clay holds moisture even in hot summers, while the sandstone guarantees drainage in a wet vintage. The calcareous marl builds the shoulder of the wine, the body, while the acidic sandstone is full of minerals. If you see one of the stones, they all have different colors, a lot of crystals. That brings the flavors, the sparkle in the wine and makes it more drinkable, lighter in a way, more gentle. The marl give the wine its shoulders. These two soils are typical of Tuscany. It’s very rare to find them one above the other, though. Our best wine comes from that marl. When I plant a new vineyard, the young vines give great results fight from the beginning. As soon as the roots reach the calcareous marl you get a different taste. You cannot recognize the varietal anymore, just the taste of Valgiano.’

Climate: Saverio Petrilli says ‘there also is a microclimate here. We always have this nice sea breeze coming (the sea is not far) during the day. At night from the mountains, 1,000 metres behind us, we get cold air coming through, so we get very slow ripening. That’s very good.’

Biodynamics: 2005 Spraying horn manure ‘500’. Saverio aims to go no till. Using silica, lime and and clay. No vine trimming, just tuck the vines in on top. When I asked Saverio about the biodynamic preparations he said the horn manure 500 was an ‘incredible soil builder. [Spraying horn manure or 500 in biodynamic-speak means] The soil becomes soft, and can hold [more] moisture. In the first hour it takes in 14 times more water than a conventional soil. It can hold all the mineral elements the plants need. The plant is healthier. Then we spray [over the] top of [the vines] the ground silica [or 501 in biodynamic-speak], and that really shades the leaves and makes it more efficient in photosynthesis. You have the plant taking the best of the soil and expressing the best in the sunlight. Biodynamics is such a great method of farming…it’s so effective. It’s a much easier life for the farmer. I would have started earlier if I could turn the clock back. The result in wine is always a juiciness, a bright color and a bright nose [aroma]. Everything is brighter, more drinkable, mouthwatering. The climate here is so different. Everything is so green and luscious and growing strongly. The soil is more easily full of humus, especially with biodynamics. The wines are always very bright, but much softer. The acidity is like a vibration on a soft touch. It is what keeps the mouth alive when you drink it.‘

Pests & disease: Saverio told me in 2005 he used ‘sulfur for oidium and copper for downy mildew. On some vineyards, instead of copper, we use a rock-based product and we manage to control peronospora very well without using copper. On the other hand, we suspect that this rock dust has a systemic effect on the plant and therefore we wonder how much better it is compared to copper. In 2004, despite the very wet year, we reduced the copper doses compared to 2003 which was a dry vintage.’ Milk-based sprays are replacing some copper-based treatments. In 2019 Saverio told me. ‘66% of the vineyards are only milk, no copper, since 2007. Milk works for the plant instead of against the fungal. This is the positive effect of calcium and the lactic acid. The main effect is lactic bacteria which take the place of the fungal and clear it away. We use 7-10 litres per ha diluted in water. Rock powders are also used based on the work of Auguste Bechamp. Rock powder can start the process that re-juvenates life, helping plants form DNA and then differentiate. French grower René Bosse-Platière made lactic ferments from lucerne (alfalfa) and also added rock powder to make a doubly effective treatment.’

Water for sprays: Saverio told me ‘The water for mixing sprays comes from their own source on silica sandstone. Water from the stream is easier to collect but is not as pure and has a lower pH.’

Cover crops: Saverio Petrilli told me (spring 2019) that before sowing the cover crop seed ‘the soil is ripped to 60cm. Cover crops are not sown every year. The estate lies in an area, the plain of Lucca, with high industrial and residential development. So we have problems that I believe anyone living on the edge of cities and industrial settlements, with relatively intensive agriculture, can have. The green manures we make have many species precisely because we look for biodiversity within the vineyard. The area of Lucca is very humid, at the foot of the Apennines, hilly and we have quite heavy soils. We felt that there were problems of compaction, so we sow alternate rows and with different varieties of plant. We use 30-40 types of grasses [as ground cover, to build humus and soil structure and protect the soil from sunburn] and legumes [for nitrogen] and crucifers [to decompact the soil], which we manage in the spring. By sowing a wide variety of seed, it means the soil chooses what it wants to grow. This works well with Biodynamics because you stimulate the brain of the farm, allowing it autonomy and sensitivity.’

Biodynamic certification: 2000 First vintage with full organic certification (ICEA). | 2001 Go biodynamic. | 2005 First vintage with full Demeter Biodynamic certification. | 2019 Still Demeter Biodynamic. Member of Renaissance des Appellations.

Winemaking: Saverio said one reason he got hired here was the owners saw he ‘was trained in Italy but learned a lot from the New World approach. Put everything under discussion, under a critical discussion, and never take anything for granted. We identified some critical points in our winemaking. First of all, Tuscany’s expression of tannins. This means managing the grapes as gently as possible. We avoid any mechanical treatment of the grapes so you get only the best of the tannins. We became more and more gentle. Then we started using oak barrels. With biodynamics, you have such amazing fruit flavours you want to avoid covering it with too much oak. Of course we have to buy some new barrels but we keep them for years so the oaky effect diminishes. The average age of our barrels is 10, 12 years. Even older. We pump wines. We use an air compressor for any racking [moving wine from one barrel to another]. Everything is gentle. No filtration, no clarification. The pump is used only when we really need to move the wine from one cellar to the other before bottling, and that’s it.’

White wines

Colline Lucchesi DOC Bianco, Giallo dei Muri: 2002 50% Vermentino, 45% Trebbiano and Malvasia, 5% Chardonnay. Ten per cent of the Vermentino is fermented in barriques and the remainder in stainless steel at 10° C to preserve the fruity aroma with a hint of grapefruit and pineapple. | 2003 A bit herby and green but clean at least and crisp and not oaky when tasted at Argiano on Tuesday 1st March 2005. Quite full and herby at Tenuta di Valgiano on Tues 22nd March 2005. | 2009 Last vintage of Giallo dei Muri. Now called Palistorti di Valgiano.

Palistorti di Valgiano: A Toscana Bianco. Palistorti di Valgiano is the new name for the Giallo dei Muri (see above). | 2007 50% Vermentino, 50% Sauvignon Blanc  2010 50% Vermentino, 50% Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.12% alc. Stainless steel and a small amount of oak it seems. 10,000 bottles. Bordeaux bottle. Sample sent by Laura Collobiano, tasted in Torrenieri in late November 2011. Took a while to open, decent weight, creamy, very tight and youthful, some straw.

Red wines

Colline Lucchesi DOC Rosso DOC, Tenuta di Valgiano: 2000 60% Sangiovese, 35% Syrah, 5% Merlot. | 2001 Clean black fruit aromas, quite cool, with oak well melded (new French); palate has lots of black fruit, the tannins have decent structure and the acidity is nice a fresh when tasted at Argiano on Friday 4th March 2005. | 2002 Decent, light animal at Argiano on Wednesday 1st June 2005. | 2003 Barrel sample: Sangiovese, Syrah and Merlot were all varietally well-defined. | 2005 Not a great vintage, | 2009 14.5%. 60% Sangiovese, 20% Syrah, 20% Merlot. High shouldered Burgundy-style bottle. Sample sent by Laura Collobiano, tasted in Torrenieri in late November 2011, decent weight, very tight and youthful. | 2013 In early 2013 Valerio said around 10,000 bottles are made from 60-70% Sangiovese, with the rest Syrah, Merlot and minor varieties like Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Montepulciano and others).

Colline Lucchesi DOC Rosso DOC, Palistorti: 2001 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 10% Syrah. | 2002 Decent fresh red with medium body and grainy tannins but a little young still, has good clarity and energy and potential suppleness when tasted at Argiano on Tuesday 1st March 2005. | 2006 Mainly Sangiovese. | 2009 14%. Bordeaux bottle. Sample sent by Laura Collobiano, tasted in Torrenieri in late November 2011, decent weight, very tight and youthful. | 2013 In early 2013 Valerio said around 50,000-60,000 bottles are made of Palistorti, from 60-70% Sangiovese, with the rest Syrah, Merlot and minor varieties like Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Montepulciano and others).

Colline Lucchesi DOC Rosso DOC, Dei Cesari: From the vineyard of the same name situated at 250 metres. The soil is an alluvia of acidic sandstone (arenaria) over calcareous clayey marl (alberese) surrounded by sandy pebbles left behind by the river. The 1994-1996 vintages were made with Sangiovese and Merlot. The 1997-2004 vintages were made from 100% Sangiovese–but around 20% of the ‘Sangiovese’ vines turned out to be Ciliegiolo). In 2010 the vineyard was grubbed up as it was producing less than 1,000 bottles (compared to 4,500 initially). Cuttings were taken of all varietals. The fallow land was sown with wheat (Verna and Gentilrosso) as a cover crop. In 2013 Saverio said there were 2.8ha.

Contact

Tenuta di Valgiano

Fraz. Valgiano

Via di Valgiano, 7

55012 Valgiano (LU), Italy

Tel+39 0583.402271 | Website: See here.