A Demûa Bianco 2018

If there is one name that resonates in the heart of natural wine lovers the world over is that of Cascina Degli Ulivi and its late leader Stefano Bellotti - a pioneer of biodynamic farming and natural winemaking. In 1977 Stefano took the reins of the family farm, located in Southern Piedmont’s Gavi area, and embraced organic farming practices. He was aided by the wisdom and experience of his neighbor Pietro Toccalino.

Stefano started with just one hectare but he soon gained organic certification and converted to biodynamic farming in 1984. The farm, now comprised of 18 hectares, is a complete, holistic ecosystem, rich with biodiversity. Here viticulture is integrated and completed by the culture of grain, fruits, vegetables, and rearing of livestock. Characterized by soils rich in clay and iron, the farm includes vineyards, some of which are venerably old, of local varieties such as Cortese, Timorasso, Riesling Italico, Chasselas for the whites and Nebbiolo and Nibio for the reds.

Cascina Degli Ulivi is now helmed by Stefano’s daughter Ilaria and his then-student Filippo, who both are brilliantly ferrying Stefano’s legacy into the future. These biodynamic wines, all fruit of wild fermentation and devoid of any added SO2 or other winemaking trickery, are timeless gems of rustic power and unending elegance and complexity.