Terms of Use

Premise:

This site is owned by Azienda Vinicola Farina Srl. Use of this site implies acceptance of the following terms and conditions without exception.

Terms of use:

No part of the site may be reproduced, translated or converted into any electronic or paper format, without the prior written authorization of Azienda Vinicola Farina Srl.

Azienda Vinicola Farina Srl assumes no responsibility for any damage caused, directly or indirectly, by the use of the information and any software or gadgets present on the pages of the site. Azienda Vinicola Farina Srl cannot under any circumstances be held responsible for any partial or total, direct or indirect damage linked to the use of this website or of other websites connected to it by a hypertext link.

It is your personal responsibility to take all necessary precautions to ensure that whatever you decide to download and use is free from destructive elements such as viruses, worms, "Trojan horses" etc ...

Legal notes: The registered trademarks mentioned on the site are the exclusive property of their respective owners.

Other product names, projects, terms, processes or phrases mentioned on the site may be registered trademarks or trade names. All rights to the material contained on this site are reserved to Azienda Vinicola Farina Srl.

The vineyard

January-February: Pruning

While the vine is dormant, it is the hand of the man who models its shape and prepares it for the next growing season and grape harvest.

March: Budbreak

The vine shoots bind to the trellis, and the first buds begin to break. At this time, we witness the phenomenon of the vine’s weeping when luminous drops descend from the shoots as evidence of new lymph.

April: Bud burst

The vine finally awakens in spring; the first shoots appear, and the vineyard turns bright green.

May: Flowering

The flowering of the plant evolves from the buds, which leads to the formation of the first bunches. In the spring-summer period, green pruning begins with a series of interventions on the leafy canopy, which aim to maintain the foliage size, ensure a functional leaf surface, and improve the penetration of treatments.

June-July: fruit setting

Only less than half of the flowers will be pollinated and go on to form bunches. The moment of fruit set is one of the most critical and delicate moments in the growing season. Bunches risk falling (coulure) or stretch into tendrils (spinning) to avoid losing the availability of nutrients.

August: Veraison

The grapes begin to take on color as the final phase of ripening begins. The hard green berries increase in volume and develop sugar content as the levels of acidity fall. A white floury-like bloom appears on the bunches that will protect the grapes from atmospheric aggressions until harvest.

September-October: Harvest

When the bunches are ripe, and the grapes have reached a balanced degree of acidity and sweetness, the harvest begins strictly by hand. The first meticulous selection is set aside to dry in small crates to produce Amarone and Recioto in the winter.

November-December: Fall of leaves

The work of the vine is done, and the foliage explodes in a kaleidoscope of colors, shades, and emotions. The long winter hibernation slowly begins.

Sustainability

Sustainability is central to the company’s strategy. This clear stance on the environmental and social impact of its business has also prompted the Farina company to make new choices and launch initiatives aimed at ensuring sustainable standards for its production and consumers.

In the vineyard:
– chemical weeding is not practiced in any of the vineyards, both owned or worked by suppliers
– the eco-sustainable practice of the so-called "sexual confusion" has been implemented in all the vineyards, to limit the use of pesticides
– the “Simonit & Sirch” pruning system is used to limit yields and prolong the productivity and health of the vines
– the cultivation philosophy is founded on "intelligent or low-impact viticulture". Interventions in the vineyard are limited, minimizing the passage of equipment and the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil.

Modernized production technologies in the cellar have sustainable benefits. Today the Farina company is at the forefront in Valpolicella in every aspect of winemaking, in particular for:
– the elimination of chemical detergents, thanks to a direct supply of hot water and steam used to sanitize all cellar equipment. The system also saves the thousands of cubic meters of water normally used for rinsing.
– electronic panels monitor the energy consumption of the winery’s entire refrigeration system, allowing for optimizations.
– Solar panels power 80% of the consumption incurred during bottling.
– An automated air conditioning system in the lofts keeps internal and external temperature and humidity under control, and thus privileges natural ventilation, while generating considerable savings in electricity.

The Farina revolution

The entrance of the 4th generation, represented today by Claudio and Elena, began in the 2000s and marked a revolutionary era of expansion and modernization in Farina. The administrative and production structures were expanded, including new bottling and wine storage areas and several hospitality spaces. Two fruit lofts for drying the Amarone and Recioto grapes were built and equipped with a state-of-the-art air conditioning system to evenly regulate airflow, temperature, and humidity. Farina began to evolve, embracing technology and innovation, as much in the care of the vineyards and drying grapes as in winemaking and bottling. The focus on sustainability, energy conservation, and using recyclable and environmentally friendly raw materials has become increasingly strategic. The desire to experiment grows. The production range expands with new wines and projects to communicate Farina's contemporary and international soul. In 2019, a further renovation of the hospitality spaces included spacious reception areas for the wine tourism experiences offered by Farina today. A floor-to-ceiling glass "cube" inside the historic courtyard replaced brick walls to hold events for larger groups. Large Bauhaus-style windows set the atmosphere in the ultra-modern Wine Boutique, a relaxing setting for wine tasting and purchases. Substantial investments are still underway in sustainable technology and winemaking research. After decades of investments in modern stainless steel and wood, improved concrete and new ceramic vessels complete the family's winemaking vision. The choreographic "Tulip," raw concrete vats, and innovative ceramic stoneware containers are Farina's fascinating new challenge to obtain mature but fresh wines endowed with highly pure aromas, round and pleasantly elegant on the palate.

The modern age

In the modern age, Valpolicella sees an agricultural world tending towards specialization and the vineyard becomes the protagonist. In the 60s, the Farinas became owners of the farmhouse and the wine was entirely destined for sale. The cultivation of the vineyard focuses on the production of red wines, with the harvest at the beginning of October, the grapes are dried in the barns of the villa on the traditional arele, the vinification takes place in cement and the aging in large Slavonian oak barrels. We intervene on the planting system in the vineyard to achieve a lower yield and guarantee higher quality of the grapes, we elevate some vines located in particularly suitable positions, so as to create the first crus and we intensify collaborations with some winemakers in the area to buy selected and representative grapes of the territory. The company also begins to structure itself technologically and the cousins Remo, Sandro and Piero Farina give life to the first international trade of the family wines, in nearby Switzerland and Germany and overseas in Canada and the United States. The production range widens, making Soave Classico and Bianco di Custoza vinified in the best hilly areas, and is completed with Valpolicella Ripasso, the first IGTs and Amarone Riserva.

The beginnings

As the post-war industrial revolution began, Valpolicella eyed an agricultural world bent on specialization, and the vineyard became the protagonist. The Farina family in the 1960s became owners of the farmhouse and the wine was entirely destined for sale. The cultivation of the vineyard focused on the production of red wines. Harvests began in early October, where the grapes were laid to dry in the granaries of the villa on traditional arele. Cement vats were introduced for vinification, and aging continued in large Slavonian oak barrels. Vine training methods aimed for lower yields and higher grape quality. The quality obtained from hillside vineyards in optimal positions were elevated to a level that merited the creation of the first single-vineyard crus. Privileged collaborations with key winegrowers favored the purchase of better selections of grapes from prized parcels in the Valpolicella Classica. The winery’s first technological modernization was underway when cousins Remo, Sandro and Piero Farina initiated their foray into international export markets, from nearby Switzerland and Germany to overseas in Canada and the United States. The production range expanded, to wines from the best hillside areas of Soave Classico, Custoza, and was completed with Valpolicella Ripasso, the first IGTs and an Amarone Riserva.

The territory

Valpolicella, very close to the province’s capital city, Verona, offers a rich and varied landscape. The territory of terraced cliffs, hills, and valleys is a sort of natural amphitheater, an explosion of vineyards, olive and cherry trees, dry stone walls, ancient gates, and sumptuous villas in that mild climate generated by Lake Garda, by the Adige and the slopes of the Lessini Mountains. Below the Lessinia plateau, a mountainous area consisting of Cretaceous limestone, is mainly hilly, with long finger-like ridges that divide the valleys, the most suitable for viticulture, on dry-stone terraces called “marogne”. There also is Cretaceous age limestone on large basaltic layers of volcanic origin. Farther south, sediments layering originated during the flooding of the Adige and its tributaries, creating the flat area.

The origin of the name Valpolicella is controversial. Some historians trace it back to the Latin expression Polys cellae, or “valley of many cellars”. Numerous fossil discoveries date back to the last glaciations, and prove the presence of vines since the Bronze Age and many findings from the VII to the V century. BC, dating back to the settling of the Etruscans and their encounter with the Reti Arusnati, testifying to developed practices of transforming grapes into wine.

There are five municipalities in the Valpolicella Classica, San Pietro in Cariano, where Farina was founded and still produces wine, along with Negrar, Fumane, Marano di Valpolicella and Sant'Ambrogio. Together, they form the most historical area, well-suited to quality viticulture. In 1968, this delimited area was granted Denomination of Controlled Origin status by the Italian Agricultural Ministry, thanks to the varied facets of the terroir, which gives originality and typicity to its wines. A heritage of rare beauty, of which experts and passionate winegrowers have been able to perfect the winemaking by adopting virtuous practices for the management of the morphology of the soil and for the care and potential of the vineyards, reconciling the need for production with the sustainability of the environment.

The Valpantena, north of Verona, with the municipality of Grezzana and the East or “extended” Valpolicella, includes the Valleys of Squaranto, Illasi, Mezzane, Tramigna, and Alpone, and together, define the remaining border areas of Valpolicella.

Training Systems

Pergola

Italy is the wine-producing country with the most incredible variety of viticultural landscapes, and the various types of Pergola contribute to this richness. The variants are Simple, Double, Trentina, Veronese, and Romagnola. The trellis system consists of a series of vertical poles supporting a scaffold positioned horizontally (roof) or obliquely. The shoots that support the fruit-bearing cane of the vine are attached to the trellis. The Pergola Veronese is the most prevalent training system in the province of Verona, in its variation, Simple or Double. The first concentrates the vegetation on one side of the productive curtain, ideal for hilly and mountainous areas, where the gradient of the slopes requires a simple structure that makes the most of the sun exposure. The Double pergola vegetates both sides of the production curtain and is used mainly in the plains thanks to large spaces and evenly distributed sunlight. The inclination of the vine's canopy at a 90° angle to the ground creates an "arbor-trained" structure, widespread in Southern Italy for the cultivation of table grapes. In the North, this inclination was abolished in the 1990s. Today, the Pergola Veronese has an inclination greater than 90° and is suitable for fertile soils with good water availability. The plant achieves a good vegetative-productive balance and proper sun exposure with little risk of sunburn for the bunches, thanks to a protective layer of 3 to 4 leaves. Excessive transpiration is contained, and the high-hanging fruit facilitates its sorting during the harvest. The temperatures of the shaded berries always remain lower than the surrounding environment, developing grapes with more excellent floral scents. The evolution of the Pergola vine-training system led to increased vines per hectare combined with a significant reduction in the vine yield and the number of buds per hectare, thus benefiting the quality of the wines produced.

Guyot

It takes its name after Jules Guyot, who developed it around the mid-19th century. It is a vine training system with reduced expansion, suitable for soils with poor fertility and drought conditions. It trains the vine to develop a root system that makes the most of the resources from the ground. The trunk is 40 to 100 cm high. This cane-pruning system consists of a trunk and a single fruiting cane with one renewal spur. The cane is tied to a horizontal support wire from which it can expand and bear buds, often numbering from six to 10. The renewal spur often sprouts two buds that will develop into the following year's fruiting cane. Additional wires support the canopy. Single Guyot is preferable for low- to moderate-vigor vines, and is a simple system to maintain. It generally produces lower yields, which makes it ideal for winemakers seeking better fruit concentration and quality. A structure of sturdy poles and wires allows a rational arrangement of low-hanging clusters and vertical vegetation development. This conformation gives growers better control of the photosynthetic activity and the aeration of the fruits. The Guyot involves a moderate and well-controlled vine development, with consequently lower yields, to the advantage of a higher quality grape. Suitable for hilly terrain due to the simplicity of the structure, it allows easy mechanization, both for summer pruning and harvesting. The bunches are smaller, the berries more concentrated, and with higher average temperatures higher than the surrounding environment, the grapes tend to have more ripe notes of fruit and jam. Compared to the Pergola, the Guyot adapts very well to the substantial increase in planting density. Still, it is necessary to know how to manage its development, to be aware of the plant's physiological and productive limits and the characteristics of the territorial context.

Marogne

The transition to modern vine-growing has not erased the signs of traditional viticulture. The slopes of Valpolicella are dominated by the sight of vineyards still cultivated on particular terraces supported by dry stone walls called MAROGNE. These typical dry stone walls, made with art and skill by stonecutters and winemakers, perform the vital function of water management. They retain water, allow slow drainage of excess rainwater, and help prevent landslides and collapses. Heated by the sun, they become heat collectors, and in the coldest periods, they mitigate the effects of severe frost on the vine's roots. Furthermore, they are home to many animal and plant species, vital to the territory's biodiversity.