The Trebbia Valley, with its enchanting landscapes drawn by the river of the same name that winds through green and gentle hills, until it gets lost on the horizon towards the sea, is much more than a natural wonder. It is also a place where the winemaking tradition has found new life through the production of natural wines. Environmental and ecological sustainability is becoming a very important factor for the consumer, even in the wine sector. On the labels of wines on the market we can find the words organic wine, natural wine and biodynamic wine which have in common the environmental protection but have differences in production. Organic wine is made from grapes grown with organic farming methods using only natural methods but a minimum amount of chemical additives is still allowed. Biodynamic wines , on the other hand, are produced based on the phases of the moon for pruning, harvesting and production processes in general. The definition “natural” refers instead to a series of actions that describe a way of doing things in the cellar and also outside. The grapes are harvested by hand, with a care that reflects the love for the land, and the fermentation of the natural wine without the addition of chemical yeasts, but resorting to the spontaneous fermentation of the yeasts naturally contained in the grape skin. The result is a wine that tells an ancient story, produced as it once was, in a territory that seems made especially for this type of cultivation.
In the hills of Val Trebbia, farmers and winemakers have networked by sharing techniques, experiences and, above all, passion. It is this passion that also led Shun Minowa, a young Japanese winemaker, to settle here. After traveling extensively through wineries in Spain and Chile, he found Travo to be the ideal place to grow and produce his own natural wine.
Among the wineries in Val Trebbia that have chosen this courageous path, some have inspired or collaborate with Shun (La Stoppa, Denavolo, Il Poggio, Casè), all excellences that through a sip make this strip of the province of Piacenza known, to be tasted at its best in combination with the wide gastronomic offer of typical Piacenza cuisine (such as anolini, tortelli with a tail, pissarei and fasò, etc.) and PDO cured meats.
Natural wine can be preferred to a conventional one for its authentic flavor, digestibility, a greater quantity of antioxidants, sustainability and respect for nature. This is the choice that more and more people and businesses are making, including restaurants, wine bars and farmhouses in Italy and beyond.
A walk through the vineyards of the Trebbia Valley will allow you to discover these wines, immersed in a landscape that will never cease to amaze you. Here, time seems to stand still, and each glass becomes an invitation to get to know the soul of this enchanted corner of the Apennines more deeply.
