The vineyards
The Mandrolisai DOC is based on three main grape varieties: Bovale, Cannonau and Monica, which together with Vermentino and Vernaccia represent the skeleton of Bentu Luna production.
However, the oenological story of the estate starts from narrative assumptions that are different from the rigid concept of variety that has emerged with the advent of nurseries. In fact, by studying Italian wine culture in depth, one discovers that it is essentially a story of blends, of crossings and stratifications over time and space, more or less conscious.
The Bentu Luna project intends to rediscover the value of contamination by moving away from the concept of absolute purity, irreconcilable with the cultivation and family management system of the old vineyards.
Neoneli could be defined as the Atlantis of viticulture.
The vineyards are the result of a millenary culture that has remained almost unchanged, based on the concept of non-ownership and natural family inheritance.
The small inhabited centers were therefore surrounded by fields, each with a specific destination: breeding, grazing, vineyards, fruit growing.
All the vineyards have always been close together and every piece has been linked to a family for generations. Therefore each micro-zone speaks the familiar language, in a fascinating Babel of vines, methods and knowledge that shun standardization and homologation.
SUSTAINABLE FROM
HARVEST TO
PRODUCTION
In order to protect the integrity of the soil, plants and bunches, no machinery is allowed inside the vineyard, only men and animals.
The harvest is manual as well as the pressing, performed first with the hands and then with the feet. Each parcel is vinified separately in small raw cement tanks, so as to respect the specificities of each micro-zone.
All wines are spontaneously fermented, with highly selected and cared for pied de cuve in order to avoid drifts.
The high precision and minimum human intervention, possible thanks to a great preparatory work in the vineyard, lead to the birth of clean wines that immediately undergo malolactic fermentation.
The use of wood is limited, confined to second or third passage barriques.
The stoppers are made by one of the best producers in the area, with the cork selected from the best trees in the same lands where the vines are grown.
Finally, all the wines are presented in the largest and lightest possible Burgundian bottle, which never exceeds 400g in weight, so as to be able to reduce CO2 emissions during the production and transport of the glass.
The packages are made of recycled cardboard designed to be used without adhesive tape.
Humanism in wine
Bentu Luna places man and his ability to interpret nature according to creativity and science at the centre.
A humanistic approach that cannot be separated from a profound respect for nature, the inhabitants and the history of the place. The project started after a long discussion table with the farmers and inhabitants of Neoneli, primarily with the aim of saving a unique viticultural heritage in Italy and in the world. A large part of the old vines, which in Mandrolisai live on average for 40 years and 10% exceed 70, risked being abandoned as they no longer created income. Together, therefore, it was agreed for the shared management of the vineyards, so as to integrate the manpower and local knowledge with the high technical and technological knowledge of our international experts. The relationship of exchange and trust is strengthened day after day, in a convergence between awareness of the gesture and critical planning.
The organizational structure of the company is streamlined and intergenerational with young professionals assisted by various external consultants. This creates a working climate that is thriving with ideas, highly technical and constantly stimulated towards improvement and experimentation. For the oenological part, the figure on site is Emanuela Flore, a master’s degree in Viticultural and Oenological Sciences from the University of Turin and a Masters in Wine Marketing from the Catholic University Sacro Cuore of Piacenza. She is joined by various professionals on specific topics, for pressing processes and spontaneous fermentations. Management of diseases resulting from climate change, such as anticipated powdery mildew and field diseases. Constant monitoring is essential to prevent them, obtaining perfectly intact bunches.