“I have always lived between vines and wine.” – Sergio, Good Clean winemaker
We first met Sergio in Tuscany during harvest in 2019. We visited vineyards spread over 700 hectares between two rivers and the highest peak in Tuscany, Monte Amiata. We fell deeply in love with this land full of history and gentle rolling hills dotted with sheep, and scattered with vineyards and olive orchards. Here and there a farm appeared on a hilltop with a view that stretched to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
On a hilltop farm near the ancient village of Pitigliano close to the sea, in the untouched countryside in the province of Grosseto, we learned about how Good Clean Wine producers focus on quality when tending the vineyard every day. Sergio explained how Good Clean Wine grapes are grown in a variety of soils and microclimates. Sergio said, “The composition of the soil here varies even within the same plot of land, which is composed of sand rich in minerals, silt, clay, and tuffaceous stone.” This soil makes Good Clean Wine taste alive with nature.
Sergio was born and raised on a farm in the Scansano village in Maremma Toscana. His father was a wine-grower who produced and sold wine directly from their farm. Sergio studied viticulture and oenology at the University of Pisa and graduated as a chemist. His first job was in a laboratory doing wine analysis. Next, he gained extensive experience in the production and export departments of a renowned local winery. He became the general manager of the winery in 2010 and his goal for the past decade has been to implement a strategy that strengthens the winery’s position and fosters its growth in the domestic market and abroad. He says his focus is always on “social responsibility and sustainability to reduce the carbon footprint of our wines, and their impact on the environment.”
He oversees a large group of 160 small family grape-growers and farmers who follow strict farming rules throughout the year to grow and harvest the highest quality and healthiest grapes to bring to the winery. He works with them to implement a combination of organic, biodynamic, and biodiverse farming and winemaking processes, and minimal intervention technology to grow healthy grapes in the vineyard. He says, on average, “each Good Clean grape grower farms around three hectares. Having small plots allows our farmers to take care of their vineyards with the attentive care one would dedicate to a rose grove.” He described how the grapes gathered from these small plots are vinified separately and estate bottled.
As we toured the winery, Sergio talked about all the extra care they take in the winery to ensure the characters of the grapes shine through when you taste the wine. He described to us how each grape varietal is hand-picked following the directions of the agronomist who advises grape-growers on the best time to pick the fruit. He said, “This varies regarding the single grape varietal, the position of each vineyard, and on the climate of the specific vintage.”
We heard many stories of how the grape-growers spend a lot of time in the vineyard nurturing the vines to grow the best quality grapes. They listen to nature and react accordingly to the vineyard and grapes day by day, month by month, and year by year to do what is best for the vineyard in any given situation. To Sergio, the ultimate goal is to bring healthy grapes to the winery to make the freshest, most delicious Good Clean Wine.
