Il Farneto Frisant Lambrusco Rosso 2023

Azienda Agricola Il Farneto occupies 8 hectares in Castellarano, positioned between the hills of Scandiano and Canossa in western Emilia-Romagna. Marco Bertoni founded the estate in the mid-1990s with a vision of producing natural wines while contributing to sustainable agriculture in a region where industrialization had dominated for decades. The property sits at approximately 250 meters elevation, surrounded by woods and fossiliferous gullies that preserve remarkable biodiversity.

The estate has practiced biodynamic farming since 2003. Winemaker Flavio Restani oversees all vineyard and cellar operations, working entirely by hand with profound respect for natural processes. Vineyards are densely planted at 4,000 vines per hectare on sandy clay soils with limestone. The vines average 15-20 years old and include indigenous varieties such as Lambrusco Grasparossa, Spergola, Marzemino, Malbo Gentile, Malvasia, and Trebbiano Modenese.

In the cellar, Il Farneto maintains the same philosophy of minimal intervention. Fermentation relies exclusively on native yeasts, with no additions during winemaking. The estate avoids filtration and fining, and adds sulfites only in minimal quantities—often none at all. For sparkling wines, the Metodo Ancestrale technique captures natural carbonation through secondary fermentation in bottle. When barrels are used, they are old French oak foudres of up to 500 liters, employed solely to soften wines gently without imparting new oak character.

The estate's wines carry the name "Rio Rocca" after the local river, celebrated for its distinctive geological features and natural wilderness. This connection to place reflects the winery's commitment to expressing terroir through honest, transparent winemaking.

Il Farneto produces a range of natural wines including Frisant Bianco, Giandon Orange, Giandon Red Blend, and God Save the Wine Pet-Nat. Discover these and other best-selling natural wines.

Emilia-Romagna stretches across north-central Italy from the Po River plains to the Apennine foothills, with the Adriatic Sea moderating its eastern climate. This region has cultivated vines since Etruscan and Roman times, establishing one of Italy's oldest winemaking traditions. The landscape encompasses fertile agricultural land renowned not just for wine but for Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, balsamic vinegar, and traditional filled pastas.

The Lambrusco family of grapes—including Grasparossa, Sorbara, Salamino, and others—defines the region's identity. These indigenous varieties produce the frizzante and spumante red wines for which Emilia-Romagna is famous. Lambrusco Grasparossa, grown primarily in the hills south of Modena around Castelvetro, stands apart as the fullest-bodied and most tannic of the Lambrusco varieties. Its thick skins thrive in clay-rich soils and produce deeply colored wines with pronounced structure.

The provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia contain the majority of Lambrusco plantings, with several DOC designations recognizing distinct terroirs: Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, and Reggiano. The Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa DOC, where Il Farneto is located, lies in the southern hills of Reggio Emilia province.

The region's continental climate brings hot summers and cold winters, while varying elevations and microclimates create diverse growing conditions. Soils range from clay and silt on the plains to sandy clay with limestone in the hillsides. This geological complexity allows different grape varieties to express distinct characteristics based on their specific sites.

A growing number of Emilia-Romagna producers have embraced organic and biodynamic farming, returning to ancestral winemaking methods that emphasize natural fermentation and minimal intervention.

Explore more wines from Emilia-Romagna at primalwine.com/collections/italian-natural-wine.