The farm: about me

Flavio Rabitti, born in 1983, one of “young in agricolture” which with great passion decides, on 2009, to get involved himself and start making those specialties that have helped to get know Tuscany in the world.

“After graduating at Agricultural Technical Institute and Faculty of Agriculture of Florence, I decided to try out a dream: opening my farm.

My great fortune was also that of having land (about 10 hectars in total) located in a particular territory, Calzalunga (or Casale Longo, as it was called in ancient times) in Suvereto, a few tens of kilometers from Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci – areas naturally suited for wine and olive oil production of  high quality. Already Elisa Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister, chose this place to build her summer residence and drink “the good wine of Casal Longo“, as reported by older texts of the time.

In my farm, family run, I produce mainly red and white wine Tuscan IGT and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tuscan IGP; besides at these two products I seek, within the forest land located in other parts of Tuscany and attached to the farm property, precious truffles which I market throughout the year. I will shortly also install a beehive, with which can produce wildflower and monoflora honey, propolis and pollen.

What I am immediately imposed by myself  is a ban on all use of molecules with high environmental impact, aggressive as fungicides, insecticides, herbicides and pesticides in general. All my crops are then handled using organic methods, limiting in most of the occasions to use copper and sulfur as only methods of struggle. I decided also to plan the land in a way that preserves a high biodiversity, creating places of refuge and breeding ground for many predators of  insects which they are present naturally in our agroecosystems (hedges, wildlife corridors, etc.)

Even working methods of plant products are followed with constant and meticulous care, the processes take place in wine cellar naturally, accompanied gently up to the finished wine, without any forcing. The crusher is chosen wisely so that I can work with “cold” and preserve delicate aromas present in olives, while maintaining all the important properties that extra virgin olive oil has got. In the vineyard and olive grove most of  farming operations are carried out by hand, so as to ensure to final products another charm, a true story, an own identity.»