Eco-conscious Italy

This converted farmhouse at CasalFarneto has a lovely view of the rolling Marche hills.

Certified sustainable by Equalitas, CasalFarneto harvests its grapes from vineyards certified by SQNPI: a local regulating body in the Marche region that focuses on integrated pest management and vine health while minimizing chemical pesticides. The winery itself was architecturally designed to minimally impact its surrounding environment and incorporates rooftop gardens and geothermal heating. Photovoltaic panels harness clean solar energy, while specially constructed reservoirs collect rainwater for use in the winery rather than diverting water from local aquifers. The winery’s social equity initiatives include policies of gender equality and antidiscrimination, socio-environmental employee training, and commitments to workplace safety and ethics.

Umani Ronchi’s Hotel Monteconero is a converted abbey.                                           

One of Italy’s most renowned family wineries, Umani Ronchi cultivates over 200 hectares of vineyards from Le Marche to Abruzzo. The family pride themselves on organic farming and their winery in Le Marche, where Casal di Serra wines are made, is certified sustainable by Equalitas. Guided by a deep respect for the environment, Umani Ronchi uses organic fertilizers in the vineyard and packages its wines in lightweight glass sealed with 100% recyclable synthetic corks made from sugar cane. The winery uses over 300 photovoltaic panels to collect solar power and conserve energy, while cellar water is reused for irrigation in the vineyards.

Tranquil scene from the Lago Preola e Gorghi Tondi Nature Reserve.


Given that this family-owned Sicilian winery is located within a nature reserve protected by the World Wide Fund for Nature, perhaps it’s no surprise that Gorghi Tondi is committed to environmental preservation and stewardship. Believing that the best and most expressive wines come from fruit grown in harmony with nature, the winery farms its vineyards organically and has banned synthetic chemicals in the interest of promoting the natural fertility of the soil. Since 2016, all 35 hectares of their estate vineyards have been certified organic.

One big happy family at Jasci & Marchesani.


Recognized as an organic pioneer in the Abruzzo region, this family winery has a long history of agriculture in the Vasto Hills. A milk-cattle farm before the family dedicated themselves to organic winemaking in the 1960s, the estate was first certified organic in 1978, making it one of the first in Italy to attain certification. Since then, the family has adhered to its organic roots while broadening its ecologically conscious approach, with the winery now powered by renewable energy.

The unique white-limestone gravel of Jara.

A staunch organic pioneer in the Prosecco scene, La Jara has been farming organically since 1999. Owned and operated by the Marion family, who believe that “nature is the perfect mechanism,” La Jara not only avoids all synthetic chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides in the vineyard, but also any synthetic chemical additives throughout the winemaking process. Every one of La Jara’s wines is certified organic and vegan by the Environmental and Ethical Certification Institute.

Olianas’s horses, Vegas and Biscotto, work the vineyard. Choosing hooves over tires avoids soil compaction.

Olianas is based on the island of Sardinia and owned and operated by the Casadei family, who are renowned for making fine wines across multiple Italian regions. Guided by what they call the “Biointegrale” method, Olianas grows traditional Sardinian grape varieties and tills them using traditional horse-drawn plows. The vineyards are organically farmed and synthetic chemicals are avoided. Biodiversity is encouraged, from ancient fruit trees and aromatic herbs alongside the vine rows, to a flourishing population of pollinating insects, to geese and sheep that graze on the vine leaves and thereby minimize the need for mechanized pruning.

 

A long-time supporter of social responsibility projects, Planeta played a key role in the creation of Parco della Salute in Palermo with the Vivi Sano Association to promote healthy lifestyles. Planeta also contributed to the Dream project with the Sant’Egidio Community to support AIDS patients in Africa, as well as fighting poverty among women working in agriculture in collaboration with Oxfam. The entire cultivated area of Planeta’s Sicilian estate – vineyards, olive groves, almond orchards and grain fields – is certified organic. In the vineyard and winery, their approach is one of applying the most modern scientific breakthroughs to centuries-old proven techniques.

Owner Federico Carletti (left) and members of his team.

Family-owned and -operated, Poliziano has been making wine for three generations in Tuscany. After more than a decade of converting to organic practices, the estate had its vineyards 100% certified organic in 2021. Passionate about organic agriculture, the family now use no synthetic chemicals whatsoever in the vineyard, while in the winery, they continue to seek out and embrace revolutionary techniques that offer a natural and sustainable approach.

Castello di Brolio has belonged to the Ricasoli family for nearly 800 years.


Since 1141, the Ricasoli family has been inextricably linked to Brolio and its lands, nestled in the heart of the historic Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. Dedicated guardians of the land for future generations, the family is proud to have its estate certified for sustainability by Equalitas. Farmed without chemical herbicides or pesticides for generations, the Ricasoli estate’s 1,200 hectares are richly biodiverse, encompassing woodlands, Mediterranean scrublands, and countless flora and fauna species. One of the largest local employers and tourist destinations, Ricasoli is committed to investing in the community and promoting ecologically responsible tourism.

A boutique Tuscan winery, Rossetti Estates embraces the sustainability principles of its parent, Fantini Wines, whose estates are certified sustainable by Equalitas. The group’s eightfold sustainability goals include health and well-being, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, innovative infrastructure, responsible production, climate action, economic growth, and reducing inequalities. In addition to its Equalitas certification, Fantini Wines is certified with BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, IFS Food, and ISO 22000.

Situated near the seaside south of Grosseto in the Tuscan Maremma, Terre di Talamo counts itself among the renowned Bacci Wines group’s organic estates in Tuscany. Focusing exclusively on fine organic wines, the Bacci family believes in safeguarding the beauty and integrity of the land while ensuring the highest standards of quality. A fierce advocate for ecological preservation, founder Marco Bacci acquired a ranch in Zimbabwe and contributed to the creation of a reserve for the black rhinoceros.

Basking in the Mediterranean sunshine of Puglia, Trullo di Pezza’s vineyards are nestled in-between centuries-old olive groves. The vineyards are organically farmed without the use of synthetic chemicals, relying instead on breezes from the nearby seaside to mitigate pests, and on the region’s abundant sunshine and famously iron-rich red soils to obviate the need for synthetic fertilizers. The ideal growing conditions also allow the team to dry-farm the vines in most vintages, without the need for irrigation.