Stella di Lemmen - Lucia Bruzzone

Stella di Lemmen is an agricultural project located above Riomaggiore, an amphitheater of biodiversity between sky and sea, strongly influenced by the marine light, salty winds, and a complex and slow terraced viticulture.

The work stems from a desire to re-establish a harmonious relationship between man and the land, through respectful and conscientious agriculture capable of producing healthy, vibrant wines deeply rooted in their place. The company's philosophy is based on the idea of preserving a small agricultural organism in which multiple plant and animal species coexist and support each other. The goal is to oppose monoculture and instead foster biodiversity, resilience, and vitality of the soil and plants. The vineyard is therefore conceived not as an isolated system, but as part of a broader agricultural balance. The chosen approach is biodynamic, understood as a tool for understanding and interpreting the place, its needs, and its fragilities. Each intervention is adapted to the specific context, with the aim of strengthening the agricultural organism's capacity for self-regulation and caring for the vines with sensitivity, avoiding standardized practices. Soil cultivation is carried out only when necessary, using tools that do not destroy the soil structure or the humus that we are trying to encourage, but that instead provide the right amount of oxygen and promote life underground.

Work in the vineyard

Vineyard management is characterized by the utmost respect for the plant and its natural rhythms. Every phase, from pruning to harvest, is handled with meticulous manual labor and a strong element of observation. The agricultural work is made particularly complex by both the slow pace imposed by the territory and the logistics of the terraces, but this very complexity becomes an integral part of the wine's identity. Grape selection is tied to the progress of the year and the desire to obtain healthy, vibrant fruit capable of clearly expressing the terroir's character. The sea profoundly influences the final result: the light reflected on the grapes and soil, the salty winds, and the Mediterranean environment contribute to unique ripening, intense aromatic profiles, and a pronounced flavor.

I work in the cellar

In the cellar, the approach is non-interventionist, but attentive. The winemaking process doesn't follow a fixed style, but rather adapts to the characteristics of the vintage and the grape. The goal is to allow the wine to reveal itself as freely as possible, avoiding imposing a dominant technical signature. Fermentations are spontaneous, in some cases promoted by a pied de cuve, and choices regarding containers, macerations, pressings, and aging times are determined year by year based on the grape profile. Depending on the wine, aging takes place in terracotta amphorae, steel, barriques, and in some cases demijohns. Sulfur dioxide is kept to a minimum and occurs exclusively before bottling, in the form of potassium metabisulfite.