Cantina La Serena di Andrea Mantengoli

Montalcinese down to his roots, twin son of Ennio & of Iva, Andrea Mantengoli farms his family’s La Serena estate that lies on the prime north-east flank of the Montalcino comune at circa 450m asl on cretaceous ‘pietraforte‘ clay, sandstones & siltsones.

Andrea is a farmer very attached to his land, be it vines or spelt wheat. Organic, his philosophy & that of his family, is to ‘do nothing’, as Andrea explained in 2020:

‘It’s when you see my vineyard thriving, bushy & verdent, that one understands what it is to be in harmony with ones vines, tending to them only when necessary. By recognizing that everything stems from the roots it follows that the key is to look after the soil. Non-intervention does not mean not caring or neglect, but choosing to step in only when required to do so. Hence our belief that it is better to minimize our impact on the indigenous fauna & flora that grows spontaneously, indeed encouraging its spread by delaying the cutting of the grass until the local bee population has had time to complete their important work (of pollination). We bear a great responsibility in looking after the environment, & so by understanding the role of each farming action we are able to work carefully & sustainably. Intervening in the management of water resource & of the vine’s vegetation – the canopy – only when requested to do so (by the plant) & in perfect accord with nature. It’s a fine balance that seeks to arrive at a point where the farm is at one with itself, where flora & fauna live together in harmony.’