Antica Enotria

A “Masseria” (farm in the Puglia region), our life

A ruin, a few abandoned rocks in the flat ground of the Tavoliere. Thirty years ago, The Masseria Contessa Staffa, was found in this state and it took a lot of work and effort to bring it back to life. Today its courtyard is the place where our life happens in sync with the seasons and the harvests. In the fall it welcomes the crushing of the grapes, in the winter the olive oil and the artichokes, with the warm season it is the place for vegetables and tomatoes used for our fresh meals. The courtyard is surrounded by warehouses, the cellar and the barrel room for aging the wine. The Masseria, dating back to the 1700’s, is located between the city of Cerignola and the seaside, just a few kilometers from the salt flats of Margherita of Savoia.

A life choice, handed down

For us, organic agriculture is a way of life, not just a method of farming. For my father it was love at first sight in 1993, when it was still an unknown practice. He realized that he could walk on his land more proudly and peacefully, finally free from chemicals, made fertile and productive with organic fertilization and treatments only. Time ruled in his favor and today all the produce from our fields is more genuine, flavorful and real. He transferred the same passion to me and to all the people that work on our farm. Over time this passion has become a way to respect ourselves, our customers and our land..

A Masseria, an Ecosystem

The land around the farm is of alluvial origin, arid with a good amount of shingle and limestone. The climate is mild in winter, torrid in summer and always windy: the tramontana and scirocco winds blow freely, creating a prefect “terroir” for the vineyards and olive groves. Crispness and flavor are, in fact, the distinguishing traits of our products.

We do not treat our plants with synthetic products (chemical fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and pesticides) or genetically modified organisms (GMO). To defend our crops we apply preventive methods by selecting species that are resistant to disease and intervening with appropriate growing techniques like winter weeding and watching the behavior of insects. We only use natural fertilizers like manure and other organic compost (clippings, etc.). We always use green manure and add plants that we grow for that purpose like mustard and clover. When necessary, in order to defend the vines, we use natural plant, animal and mineral substances: plant extracts, natural mineral and rock powder to correct the chemical structure and characteristics of the soil or to protect the vines from moss and lichens.

In the winery we use low quantities of sulfites and clarifiers of natural origin like egg white and bentonite, avoiding the use of other chemical additives.

We cultivate 12 hectares of vineyards, all strictly organic since 1993. Our growing methods include the “pergola pugliese” or, tent, for older plants and cordon training for vines that are less than ten years old. The varietals selected are indigenous to Puglia (Nero di Troia, Primitivo and Negroamaro), integrated with typical varietals of the neighboring region of Duana like Aglianico and Falanghina. In a category of their own are Montepulciano, stretching from the Abruzzo all the way to the Tavoliere of Puglia, and Sangiovese.