New Vintage IL FARNETO from Tommaso Turci & Marco Bertoni
We first discovered the now-infamous Il Farneto in the winery’s early days. Marco Bertoni was a lone warrior, the sole protector of organic and natural agriculture in the hills surrounding the industrial city of Modena. A native Modenese, who already had a successful first career as a producer of industrial scales, discovered natural farming through his customers (he once even sold weighing equipment to Macea’s Cipriano Barsanti) and was hooked—filled with a newfound passion he gave up his business and embarked upon what would become a lifetime obsession, the project of reintroducing the agricultural industry that once existed in the hills surrounding his hometown.
At the time, we were taken by the passion of the person behind the wines, and as the project grew, the quality of the wine produced here skyrocketed. Now, with our long-time friend, ex-student of Cipriano himself, Tommaso Turci, leading the way in the cellar, the wines are a perfect example of what is possible in the unique climate in the very hills Marco dreamed of protecting.
The vines, planted by Marco himself, are now an average of 20 years of age, and yields are kept high whilst maintaining a low intervention approach, meaning fantastic value for honest, real wine. Marco keeps his eyes on the vines year-round, often passing through his vineyards with two donkeys that have been known to accompany him on long-distance solo treks. Spending a day in the vines with Marco reveals the deep connection between the person and his roots in the vineyard. Tommaso is often found in the cellar, although one foot is always firmly planted in one of the many rows of vines surrounding the domaine. He manages the production here, producing the wines we have all grown to hold dear.
We have pulled together a mixed case for a limited period, featuring six bottles from the domaine, one of each kind, from sparkling to red. There is something for every occasion as as is usually the case, there is no better way to get to know these wines than to try them yourself.
