Winery of the month: Fidora Wines
A little piece of Italy
Their story began in the 1920s, when Ferruccio Fidora bought the Civranetta estate on the Venetian mainland, which in the Middle Ages had belonged to the noble Venetian family of Civranetta and the Benedictine monks.
In 1974, Ferruccio's son Guido Fidora decided to abandon the use of pesticides, paving the way for organic farming. At the time, organic was not in vogue and the word 'organic' itself was not yet linked to agriculture as it is today. Guido learned by experience and collaborated with other Italian farmers who took the same approach.
Guido's son Lorenzo Fidora has always shared his father's vision and approach to agriculture. He took over the company and the Civranetta estate was awarded official EU organic certification.
Today Fidora estates are one of the oldest examples of organic and biodynamic environments in Italy and the oldest organic farm in Veneto. Grapes and livestock grow together with spontaneous plants, trees and wildlife. It is the living result of how a different way of farming can be a better answer to the world.
Emilio Fidora, 4. generáció
Their philosophy
Here are some key aspects...
Balance
"Plants can find their balance. If you spoil them with pesticides they won’t grow their own defences (spoiler: animals find their balance too. Pests will get used to chemicals and grow stronger).
Our vines can find their balance, the only thing we need to do is help them improving that balance."
No chemicals
"We stopped using pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers in 1974.
In our vineyards, synthetic substances have been replaced with natural products of organic origin. How? Experience, presence, accuracy, speed. This is what saves you. We spend time in the vineyards, keep our eyes on them, act on time when they need it and are accurate.
The same thing happens while making wine in the cellar. We spend time there, tasting every vat and barrel, since the moment we bring grapes in and press them."
We love our soil
"When you look at a plant, you are actually looking at part of it. Roots are essential as well as the soil is. That’s where they find their balance.
The soil need to be fertile and full of life. Insects, small animals, worms, bacteria and viruses, as well as other plants’ roots. They are all important to keep balance in the ground and help plants grow strong roots to drain water and nourishment. Cover crops and biodynamic preparations are a good way to help."
Cover crops
"We use cover crops to enrich the soil and help life in it. We seed different plants with different functions, depending on the needs. Each plant have a different interaction with our underground wildlife and, depending on the season, plants can also attract bees and other useful insects."
Biodynamic preparations
"Our farm works as a self-sufficient organism and our biodynamic preparations are homemade. We use them with a pragmatic approach, depending on the needs of our vines and soil."
Their sparkling and still wines are internationally recognised and offer a particularly high quality.
Come and taste a little piece of Italy!