Barberani

The Barberani estate is located in the hills above Lake Corbara, Umbria, in the oldest and most prestigious production area of Orvieto. The wines are made exclusively with grapes grown in company-owned vineyards.

The estate spans more than 100 hectares; only 55 ha are covered by specialized vineyards on hillsides with the unique microclimate of the Lake Corbara area. The soil is of volcanic origin blended with sedimentary calcareous clay – a combination that finds its expression in complexity and singular mineral qualities in the wines grown here. The remaining acerage is devoted to forestry which encourages biodiversity and allows many wild animals to thrive in a natural habitat.

Niccolò Barberani, assisted by Maurizio Castelli and Luigi Barberani, is in charge of both the vineyards and the oenological processes in the cellar. Together they oversee all spheres of the oenological processes: from the arrival of the grapes in the winery, to the wine-making itself, and the bottling.

As a bio-organic winery, all chemical treatments are painstakingly avoided. In the spirit of sustainability spring water – there are two wells on the property – is recycled and electricity use is cut down to a minimum.

Ground-breaking vine protection technology together with conventional organic systems for pest control is applied in the vineyards. Firstly, biosensors (electronic strips) allow early detection of infection. Next, active oxygen is applied as a means of destroying hibernating inocula. Active oxygen is also used in the winery for sterilizing equipment and throughout the wine making process a minimal amount of sulphites is used. In fact the VINOSO wines are completely sulphite-free.

Being situated near a large body of water, the microclimate is beneficial to the formation of noble rot. Hence Barberani also excels in the production of noble sweet wines and garnered many local and international awards.