COS – Biodynamics and Amphora in Sicily

Giusto Occhipinti characterises the vineyard as the estate’s savings and therefore something to protect. COS inherited an old nineteenth-century cellar in a district where wine production had once been widespread and phylloxera arrived relatively late. The estate then comprised just under 30 hectares of vines and 18 hectares of olives. Red clay overlies limestone found about 30–60 cm beneath the surface. No fertiliser, including organic fertiliser, is added because it would alter the terroir. Chemical products are excluded, while limited water may be supplied during hot summers. The limestone retains moisture and helps the vines endure the dry climate.