Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Montalcino
People: Caroline Pobitzer and Jan Hendrik Erbach, Owners & Winemakers
Everything about this winery breathes. The cellar was created according to organic principles and with full respect for the landscape. The construction was made with material that "breathe" – clay, wood, lime and stones gathered from the vineyards themselves. The round shape was conceived as a cradle, an ideal and harmonious location. The fermentation at Pian dell'Orino is induced by naturally occurring yeasts from the grape skins. No extra yeasts, no industrial enzymes or further additives of any kind disturb the authenticity and the taste of the vineyards. From the start the goal is to create and sustain the maximum harmony possible between vineyard, climate, soil and mankind. Energy has great importance in the organization. In particular the phases of the moon are an important point of reference on the decision making. The vines have never been treated with herbicides, chemical pesticides, insecticides or soluble mineral fertilizers. Their immune system is reinforced by special infusions that they make with nettles, equisetum and yarrow and biodynamic preparations.
Caroline Pobitzer & Jan Hendrik Erbach make wines of extraordinary quality. In Montalcino there are only 3,000 hectares of vineyards. Consequently the terroir are multiple and so different to each other that every Brunello has its own personality and its own tale to tell in the glass. The wines made of Sangiovese come from four different vineyards that have a total area of 6 hectares. The four estate vineyards are Pian dell’Orino, Pian Bossolino, Cancello
Rosso and Scopeta. The growth system we
use is "single spur cordon system."
Adjacent to the Biondi Santi property, Pian dell'Orino has a long history of being particularly suited for growing grapes for high quality wines.
Pian dell'Orino Vineyard: Planted in 1970 and expanded in 1997, this vineyard lies 420 meters above see level and is surrounded by the
rolling hills that extend from Montalcino to the volcanic mountains of
Monte Amiata.
The soil is light colored limestone. Fine grained clay deposits with fossilized mussels.
Pian Bossolino Vineyard: Planted in 1999, this vineyard lies several kilometers to the south,
toward the ancient volcano Monte Amiata, and spans 3.5 ha. At this
altitude where goats and sheep were once grazing there is poor soil with
little humus but rich in limestone sediments, as well as Mediterranean
red soil rich in iron deposits.
Cancello Rosso Vineyard: Planted in 1999, this vineyard lies near an abandoned travertine quarry, an obvious
indication of the high limestone content, but also of sulfur springs
found in several places around the Monte Amiata region.
The naked eye easily discerns several soil types of different color:
there is yellowish clay along with brownish clay and gray limestone.
Additionally, weathering ferrous silicates form a reddish soil called
"terra rossa" which extends over nearly half of this vineyard. The very
deep soil forces the vines to grow especially deep roots. In doing so,
they absorb certain minerals in the clay which lend the grapes, and
ultimately the wine, a very characteristic flavor.
Scopeta Vineyard: Planted in 2005, this vineyard lies between Castelnuovo dell'Abate and Sant'Angelo in
Colle and extends over 0.8 ha. Due to its south-southeast orientation it
catches the first sun rays of the day. Furthermore, a slope of 35%
ensures maximum absorption of the sun's energy. Thus, in April the vines
of this vineyard are the very first to grow leaves, and the harvest
normally begins with this vineyard as well. The soil is homogeneous,
with very high limestone and clay content, and has good water retention
capability.
Beyond Barolo and Brunello by Tom Hyland (2012)
"They tend to their vineyards in a true organic fashion, shying away from using chemical pesticides, herbicides or mineral fertilizers. They also plant clover and legumes in between the rows, as these plants produce nitrogen which are in turn absorbed by the vines. It is this attention to detail and careful planning of the best ways in which to treat the soils that make the Pian dell'Orino wines so remarkable. The varietal purity is just that mush more focused in all of their wines..."
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