Organic Wine and Olive Oil: The Altarocca Wine Resort Proposal is Not Just for the Table

The article places Altarocca’s farming within the expansion of Italian organic agriculture, noting an 80% increase over the preceding decade and organic management of roughly 16% of the country’s agricultural land. On the Rocca Ripesena hill, vines and approximately 2,000 olive trees are cultivated without GMOs, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides. Natural fertilization, grassing, careful management of spontaneous vegetation and manual harvesting support the estate’s approach.

The white-wine programme includes a traditional Orvieto Classico based on Grechetto and old mixed plots planted around 1981–1982, as well as a more contemporary Orvieto Classico Superiore combining Grechetto and Chardonnay. Rilievo introduced a traditional-method sparkling wine from Trebbiano and Chardonnay. Clay-rich soils over volcanic rock and the absence of irrigation encourage deep rooting and are connected with the wines’ savoury, mineral profile.

The red programme works with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo. Stainless-steel vinification serves fresher styles, while more structured wines mature in French oak. Mosaico was prepared for an autumn 2022 release as a Charmat-method rosé sparkling wine made from an early thinning harvest of the red grapes.

Wine is incorporated into walks, cellar visits, guided tastings, meals and private-spa experiences. The estate’s multicultivar organic olive oil comes from Moraiolo, Leccino and Frantoio trees, is harvested manually and cold-milled in the on-site mill. The trees were being mapped with the agronomist to support future separate harvests and possible single-cultivar oils.