21 April 2022
«Wine production requires respect: for nature, its fruits and the people who will enjoy those gifts».
This is how Umberto Cesari defines the concrete actions taken to achieve integral sustainability, one that involves the environment and agronomic techniques, as well as the vision behind work in the vineyard and in the cellar.
Located in Castel San Pietro Terme, on the border with Romagna, Umberto Cesari is one of the most important wineries in Emilia Romagna. Since its foundation in the early ’60s, the winery has believed in the potential of Sangiovese, the most representative native grape variety of the region and the Italian winemaking tradition.
A heritage that the winery has masterfully instilled in austere, deep and sophisticated wines that have excellently recounted the winemaking tradition of Emilia-Romagna, spreading it all over the world. But most importantly, wines that embody Umberto Cesari’s devotion and commitment to the territory. One that has prompted concrete actions aimed at reducing environmental impact, enhancing soil fertility and performing timely operations in the vineyard that ensure limited use of treatment.
VINEYARD OPERATIONS
Umberto Cesari's vineyards are covered with grass to prevent soil erosion and deconstruction, but also to foster biodiversity. Natural techniques are practiced in every stage of the vine’s life cycle to ensure the plant’s health and maintain an excellent environment for its development. These include the use of Vermicompost, an organic fertilizer made with manure digested by Californian red worms which can transform organic matter into a super food for the earth. Vermicompost helps the vines stay vigorous and healthy and is a «local» ingredient produced by a startup situated within the area. To properly drain the soil and at the same time reduce the use of fertilizers, the winery is experimenting with zeolite, a natural mineral that is spread in the ground to help absorb excess water and prevent the proliferation of fungi. Finally, weather stations constantly monitor the climate in the various vineyards (Umberto Cesari cultivates over 330 hectares): this facilitates timely interventions that are designed based on the real needs of the plants.
RESPECT IN THE CELLAR
Respect for nature also means being at the service of the expressiveness of the cultivated vines and seeking greater affinity with the territory of origin. Thus, Umberto Cesari has developed a protocol called “Selective Process Winery” which includes the use of highly technological tools for destemming and grape selection. This ensures that only the ripest and perfect fruits reach vinification. Experiments also involve aging: aside from steel and wood, Galileo vats made with lightweight concrete as well as amphorae made with opus signinum were also introduced. The latter is an ancient building material made using modern techniques and helps in stimulating the natural aromatic development of wine.
LIGHTER PACKAGING
Sustainability also involves wine packaging: we have chosen Amorin corks that have lower environmental impact and the glass used for bottles has been reduced by 20% to ensure lower emission during production and transport.
ETHICAL CODE
To guarantee that respect for nature is also reflected in the well-being of the people who live in this environment, Umberto Cesari has drawn up and internal code of ethics. According to the winery from Castel San Pietro Terme «This is an essential document to address the problems that arise in everyday activities with respect to issues of ethics, organization and management choices»
