Viticulture on the island of Gorgona

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Ile Gorgone (historical map with elevation profile)

Viticulture on the island of Gorgona , which belongs to Tuscany , has been practiced since ancient times. Since the 2013 vintage, the wine entrepreneur Vittorio de 'Frescobaldi has been involved on the island of Gorgona and fills the barrique barrels there at his local Fattoria .

The island has served as a prison island since 1869 . Wine production is part of the rehabilitation measures that are intended to prepare long-term prisoners for their freedom. All prisoners have at least 15 years in prison and must not have been suspicious during this time before they are moved from the mainland to the island for this project. In addition to the youngest link in agriculture, viticulture , other arable crops are also tended and sheep and cows are kept for making cheese.

Vineyards

On the 2.25 km² large and up to 225  m high island, different areas are available for agricultural use; only one hectare of this is reserved for viticulture. Vineyards can be found on the southern slope of the Il Campone ridge, which closes off from the north coast , whose pedoclimatic properties and geological conditions are ideal for Lamberto Frescobaldi, president of the trading company of the same name. This valley is well protected against the prevailing north and north- westerly winds, but is still well ventilated. The sandy soil is ideally suited as a terroir for the Vermentino and Ansonica varieties that grow here . According to the winery, only social and no economic reasons play a role for this commitment, which is understandable with the enormous effort for this tiny plot in relation to its own cultivation area.

Landscape design on the island with the "Old Tower" on the west coast

Possible donations in the form of equipment are rejected by the authorities for fear of mandatory consideration. Winemaking in the prison cellar, which takes place even without temperature control , is correspondingly difficult . Fermentation takes place in steel tanks, from which a series of racking takes place. Barrique barrels are then used for unproblematic transport, just as these small barrels were previously reserved for transport.

The first vintage under Frescobaldi produced 2,700 bottles, which are traded from 50 euros. 120 of these are intended for the German market and cost from 65 euros. These prices correspond to the high-quality cru wines that the trading house Frescobaldi otherwise brings on the market.

literature

  • Veronica Crecelius: The Taste of Freedom . In: Meiningers Weinwelt , 2/2014, ISSN  2194-6930 , pp. 22–28.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Crecelius, The Taste of Freedom

Coordinates: 43 ° 25 '59.7 "  N , 9 ° 54' 7.8"  E