«A harvest is approaching that promises to be spectacular, thanks to a particularly happy season: lots of sunshine and a bit of rain at the right time». Sergio Marchisio already anticipates the harvest 2020: it will be a year to remember, fortunately, not only because of the coronavirus. But the merit, in the case of Marchisio Family, is not only the weather: «More than ten years of biodynamic viticulture are now giving the results we were waiting for: year after year the fertility of our soil grows, and this obviously has a positive effect on our wine, which is enriched with surprising aromas». Certified organic, the company is in fact committed to a real challenge: to increase the quality of its wine, starting from the natural health of the vines. Decisive, in this mission, are the “manure horn” and the special fertilization that is obtained using the humus produced with the “biodynamic heap”. Precious organic materials, which – together with winter green manure – contribute to make the soil increasingly rich in vital substances.

By now, the effectiveness of biodynamics founded by Rudolf Steiner is also confirmed by important scientific research: studies published internationally, such as those by Matteo Giannatasio, show that the “500 preparation” (i.e. the “manure horn”) has specific enzymatic activities. To “feed” the rows is a rich population of benign bacteria, which facitilates a harmonious and balanced growth of plants, promoting the formation of all those substances necessary for the vine to maintain healthy and vital. One of the secrets lies in the cow manure collected in autumn, when the pasture is rich in certain grasses. Together with vegetable compost, the “500 preparation” leads the fermentation of humus in a very precise direction, which prevents the loss of organic matter, «stopping the initial acidification of the fermentation and rectifying it with the formation of a neutral humus, rich in fundamental substances». The fertilizer thus prepared, scientists say, in a short time “communicates” to the soil that «integral fertilization» that agronomic science considers ideal.

«The encounter with Steiner’s philosophy has literally changed my life», admits Sergio Marchisio, who’s so passionate about “natural alchemy” that he conducted courageous experiments, such as those that led him to be the first producer to make Nebbiolo in ceramic amphorae, to accompany the evolution of wine in an even “softer” way. Upstream, ther’s an act of trust that is also a social and ecological commitment: transforming agricultural work into a battle for the protection of the land, restoring its natural fertility to the soil. The lesson of biodionamics is fundamental in this: «It means tuning our work with that of nature, without using chemistry, putting the soil in optimal conditions to produce the best wine». And if the season comes to our aid – as in the case of 2020 – then such optimism is more than justified: «You will see: in a few days the harvest will be truly memorable, and will give us literally amazing biodionamic wines».