2018-10-01_Reader_s_Digest_AUNZ

October• 2018 | 109

READER’S DIGEST

thetimeIletmysmallchildrenroam

unsupervised through the vegetable

patchatFonterenzawinery,owned

by Margherita and Francesca Pado-

vani. Fifteen years ago, the sisters

transformed a 400-year-oldpalazzo

(palace)southofFlorenceintoFon-

terenza–akindofwinemakingEden.

Mychildrenarepillagingthegar-

den for ripe tomatoes and fallen

plums. Through the thicket of

cypress trees, I can hear their sounds

oflaughter,ofplaying,ofahappy

childhood. I am feeling pretty smug.

UntilIhearMargherita’svoice.

“Children!Ifyouseeasnake,

stomp the ground very hard!”

Inaninstant,achangeofheart.

Sensing maternal panic, Francesca

suggests we go into town for lunch.

Fromtheedgeofthecenturies-old

hilltoptownofSant’AngeloinColle,

the countryside is laid out like a

verdant patchwork quilt stitched to-

gether by dirt roads. We walk up to

the mainpiazza(s qu a r e) w her e one

lonely child is walking around with

asoccerball.Thelasttimetherewas

a census here, in 2011, the population

was 204.

otherandaskadvice,”saysdaPrato.
“hereisnorivalrybetweenmeand
StefanoandHelenaandArianna.I
am so impressed with what Arianna
has done.”

IF THIS WORLDhasamatriarch,itis
Arianna Occhipinti, although that’s
hardly the word to describe her. he
35 year old, who started her organic
and biodynamic vineyard in Sicily in
2010, has a tangle of thick black hair
and big brown eyes.
She is one of the largest produc-
ersofbiodynamicwine(morethan
130,000 bottles annually) which was
among theirst to be recognised by
criticsashigh-qualitywine.
ImeetOcchipintiinthecourtyard
of her winery, not far from the historic
hilltopcityofRagusa.Wesitonwicker
chairs surrounded by olive trees and
lavender plants and sip glasses of the
Occhipinti Nero d’Avola.
Farmers such as Occhipinti believe
they have a responsibility to the peo-
ple of the future. “We are in a good
moment: young people are making
wine, there is more sensibility. The
most important thing is to think
small, not production, production,
production.”

THESE BIODYNAMICfarms, I start
to realise, are self-sustaining idylls.
They grow what they need, they
don’t produce much waste, they
respect the land.
I become a believer right around

“WINE IS ABOUT FINDING

THE BEAUTY OF THE

VINTAGE ... IT SHOULD

ALWAYS TELL A STORY”