Sustainability

Always very focused on sustainability, we vinify in a three-level underground cellar using the gravity-fed method, moving grapes, must and wine from one level to another without using pumps, avoiding stressing the product. In addition, the thermal inertia of the underground walls allows us to avoid artificial temperature conditioning inside the cellar.

We keep humidity constant at an ideal level, lowering it by triggering a natural ventilation studied in the cellar design and increasing it by activating a small waterfall.

We are aware that we receive a most precious gift from the Earth, and for this reason we are committed to preserving and enhancing the natural resources present: maximum attention to reducing environmental impact, energy conservation and biodiversity.

Underground cellar with Gravity System

In order to minimize the impact on the environment and the surrounding landscape, the new winery was designed with a gravity-fed winemaking method, three levels below ground, to avoid the use of electric pumps to move the wines from the steel tanks into the wooden barrels.

In addition, the hygroscopic and insulating conditions of the soil, naturally maintain optimal temperature and humidity for wine aging, without energy expenditure.

Solar and Photovoltaic Panels

Part of the winery roof has been covered with solar and photovoltaic panels, and their annual output meets the winery’s needs.

Severina Natural Oasis

Surrounding the winery is a natural oasis that helps preserve the microclimate and biodiversity of the place through the preservation of insects, especially bees and earthworms, which help pollinate and regulate pests harmful to the vineyard. This aromatic garden is managed with care and tireless passion by 90-year-old Nonna Severina.

Oasi_Severina_alto_piemonte_PietroCassina

Vigna di Nebbiolo della Cantina Pietro Cassina a Lessona in Alto Piemonte

Water, a precious good

Feeding the pond, watering the garden plants and to cool some of the rooms are just a few examples of how we use and value such a precious commodity as rainwater.

To enable this, a system of gutters has been built that directs rainwater that falls near the cellar into one huge underground cistern capable of holding more than 200,000 liters. Its depth is such that it maintains a low temperature even in the hottest months.

Locally sourced barrels: back to basics

For a long time, wine producers have been buying their barrels from distant companies that use wood from territories that are not necessarily local, as we mostly do, buying them from Austria and Switzerland.

At one time, however, there were those in this area who made barrels from Chestnut or Oak wood. For this reason, for a decade now, we have started an ambitious project, trying to go back to our roots. The project is to create a wine using Oak wood grown on the Cascina Chignalungo estate, selecting the best boards, seasoning them and delivering them to the winery for processing and barrel making.

It has been a long process, but the satisfaction of being able to age our wine in barrels made from native wood grown just a few meters away from our vineyards fully fulfills Pietro’s effort and dream.

Experimental Vineyard

The Alpha vineyard is where we experiment with different vine management techniques, from different pruning techniques to the selection of different Nebbiolo clones.

Vineyards

Most of the vineyards lie on the land of “Cascina Chignalungo,” an estate where vines have been at home for centuries, even finding them on the Napoleonic map. It owns other lands, also in the municipality of Lessona, also historically planted with vineyards (Crarolo, Chioso del Bosco, Berra, etc.)

The training system is Guyot with about 4800 plants per hectare.

We use horse manure to fertilize and, for “integrated and guided pest management” in vineyard management, we use sulfur and copper.

The particular orographic conformation of the land provides natural drainage, avoiding any kind of root asphyxiation.

Pietro further reduces the production of grapes authorized by the Disciplinary, aiming for yields that do not exceed 40 quintals per hectare, thinning out as early as June-July the newly formed bunches and thus allowing the plant to concentrate colors, flavors, fragrances and aromas on the remaining bunches.

The harvest, which is always very late, generally in October, is carried out by hand-picking the bunches of grapes into crates weighing a maximum of 10-12 kg.

Supervulcano

The training system is Guyot with about 4800 plants per hectare.

We use horse manure to fertilize and, for “integrated and guided pest management” in vineyard management, we use sulfur and copper.

The particular orographic conformation of the land provides natural drainage, avoiding any kind of root asphyxiation.

The harvest, which is always very late, generally in October, is carried out by hand-picking the bunches of grapes into crates weighing a maximum of 10-12 kg.