Neighbor's Garden - Anna Pirani & Leonardo Gabellini

We are Anna and Leonardo, agricultural experts and graduates in agriculture. Anna grew up in Scandicci, observing the greenery that surrounded her and intrigued her. Leonardo, in Borgo San Lorenzo in the Mugello region, grew up surrounded by his father's and uncles' vegetable garden and animals, which had an impact on him since adolescence. Their university studies brought them together. The idea took shape in 2012, after both of us had extensive experience in purchasing groups. We wanted to recreate that convivial moment when a relative or friend delivers produce from their garden.

After a long and arduous search for arable land, the L'orto del Vicino farm was founded in January 2014. The farm is located in Borgo San Lorenzo and extends over two hectares just outside the town center, where we grow vegetables that are sold directly from the farm. We believed this was an opportunity to delve into the world of agriculture and its dynamics. Wine, the vineyard, its rhythms, and the opportunity to experiment were perhaps what most intrigued us. In 2016, we leased a small, 40-year-old, 3,000-square-meter vineyard in the municipality of Scarperia e San Piero, which was at risk of abandonment. In the following years, two more small, old vineyards were added, bringing the total vineyard area to almost one hectare. We have followed organic farming techniques from the very beginning, and after pleasant and stimulating meetings, we adopted the methods and techniques of biodynamic agriculture in 2015. Our farm uses treatments based on copper, sulfur, and occasionally natural insecticides in cases of extreme necessity. Weed control is exclusively manual and mechanical. Fertilization is based on the use of composted manure and the practice of rotating green manure. We do not plow, but use a cultivator to aerate the soil, because we believe that we must seek a balance between human agricultural activity and the rest of living things, without impoverishing our soil.

In the cellar, we work according to our own rhythms, guided by the sensations the wines seem to convey. Our wines ferment spontaneously; we do not filter, clarify, or use any winemaking techniques. We do not use sulfites during winemaking, rarely during racking or bottling. Six months after bottling, our wines have undetectable levels of total sulfites. They are named "Terra Bassa" (Low Land) because the land is low, and in homage to all the farmers who, with dedication, love, and synergy, dedicate their lives to extracting the best from our mother earth, respecting and loving her. Every year we produce a macerated white, a macerated rosé, a red, and a refermented wine from varieties traceable to old clones of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Colorino, as well as Cabernet and Merlot. Among the whites, we include Trebbiano Toscano, Nostrale, and Romagnolo, Malvasia and Albana, as well as many other forgotten and disused varietals that tell a different story every year in our wines. If you're passing through Mugello, stop by and share a few moments with us. Raise your glasses!