D.S. Bio

DS Bio. The courage to be unique!

Danilo Scenna is a young producer who combined his two great passions: wine and horses, to give life to a project called D.S. bio.

On the farm are bred horses of Haflinger and Esperia Ponies (a species in danger of extinction) and the vines that are cultivated are autochthonous in the Comino Valley and Middle Liri Valley.

From 2012 he carries on his project of rediscovering and protecting the native vines of this part of Ciociaria and the ancient cultivation techniques. The owner Danilo Scenna, always fond of wine and horses, following his studies in Economics and Management, decides to invest in his country of origin, Pescosolido, on the slopes of the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park; at first it began to recover the old family vineyards ungrafted with the ancient farming system: married grapevine to an olive tree; later expanded the company by planting new vineyards.

The farm is located at 630 meters above sea level, where soil and weather conditions create a unique environment for viticulture. Biodiversity plays a key role in the company philosophy; the vineyards are located within a few kilometers in small plots and are surrounded by centuries-old olive groves, holm oak and oak woods.

This farm uses neither chemical fertilizers nor herbicides. The only products used are biodynamic preparations. In biodynamic viticulture, the moon plays an important role in the cultivation and care of the vineyards. From the planting of seeds in the fields to adding the finishing touches in the wine cellars, all phases of production follow the lunar cycle.

Most of the work in the vineyards is manual, or with the help of horses, this to limit mechanization as much as possible. The same applies to winemaking: the wines ferment and refine in cement tanks, the decantings are made by gravity without the use of pumps (strictly following the lunar phases). The company is certified organic and in biodynamic conversion.

Thanks to its Arcaro 2016 wine, a white made from grapes ripen Igt del Frusinate, Danilo received a prestigious award for the best white wine category at the Autochtona fair in Bolzano (Italy), a showcase able to exalt the typicality of wines coming from unique or rare vines of the rich Italian tradition. Danilo cultivate and process his grapes directly and follow the entire production process in person, from the vine to the glass. The native grape variety Maturano IGT del Frusinate are harvested in crates and brought to the cellar. After de-stemming, crushing and a short maceration time on the skins, the grapes go into a hydraulic press to guarantee a soft pressing; subsequently the ‘pied de cuve’ is inoculated which has fermented previously spontaneously. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in cement tanks and aging on fine lees for 6 months. The wine is aged in the bottle for a further 6 months. Racking is carried out by gravity without using pumps.

Danilo Scenna is truly unique in the world of Italian viticulture, as many others believe in biodynamic agriculture, but his wines are the most linked to the territory that can be found, with courage and dedication bringing the rediscovery of the wines of this small area of Ciociaria, certainly not one of the most famous areas of the Italian wine world.

Good job Danilo!