A Biological Winery in Tuscany
In May of 1989, Giancarlo Lanza, Doctor of Agriculture and Oenologist, together with his wife Giulia Andreozzi, herself educated
in wine tasting and serving, acquired a vineyard located in the Tuscan “Maremma” hills, which they baptised “I Botri”, a vineyard
previously owned by the descendants of a long line of traditional wine growers. In 1970, new vines were planted, selected from the
highest-quality varieties typical for the wine-growing traditions of Scansano.
The new owners modernized the vineyard as well as the production processes in the winery, taking great care to maintain the
characteristics that are typical for the wines produced in the region: the famous red “Morellino di Scansano” and the equally remarkable
white “Bianco di Pitigliano”.
To highlight the principles on which the new masters wanted to base their activities, they chose a new name for the winery as well:
“Il Biologico” ,
a choice that received official recognition in 1994, when the Establishment
was registered as a “Biological wine producer” according to the European Law CEE 2092/91.
The Vineyard “I Botri”
Covers an area of seven hectares approximately, extending over two hills up to 250 metres above sea level, near the village “I Botri”
from which it got its name, close also to the Etruscan settlement of “Ghiaccio Forte”, the latter located on the ancient highway “Via
Aquilaia”, about 12 kilometres south of the town Scansano in the Province Grosseto. It lies at a distance of about 20 kilometres from
the Tyrrhenian Sea; from its highest point, one has a dominating view over the undulating valley of the river Albegna.
The vines
Four hectares are reserved for growing the red grapes locally called “bacca rossa”: The Sangiovese variety is present with two clones
of Morellino which account for 90% of the red produce, the grape “Prugnolo Gentile” taking care of the remaining 10%. The Alicante
grape, itself a clone of the varieties Grenache and Ciliegiolo (”Cherry”), is used to produce the top-level Morellino di Scansano DOC
(DOC stands for “Denominazione di Origine Controllata”, guaranteeing the exclusive use of high-quality grapes of the region).
On two hectares, white berries referred to as “bacca bianca” are grown: The Procanico, a clone of the Tuscan “Trebbiano, the
“Malvasia” and the “Vermentino” together provide the basis for the production of the white wine Bianco di Pitigliano, a wine that
also qualifies for the denomination DOC.
The clones present in the vinyard are studied by the institute of wine cultivating of a Tuscan University.
The system of upbringing: Guyot and High Corden Spur. The system of pruning: 3-6 buds roughly.
The Soil
Predominantly calcareous, with loose surfaces.
The Winery and its Vaults
There are two vaults, one for the initial processes of vinification and fermentation, the other for maturing the superior “Riserva”
wines in small oak barrels.
Vinification is a process carried out according to traditions established over many centuries; the production of red wines involves
an extended period of “maceration”, during which the skins of the grapes remain in the grape juice; the production of high-quality
white wines requires a vinification process at strictly controlled temperatures.
