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The beginnings
It all began in the 80s, in Bianzone in Valtellina: the first attempts to cultivate the vine with an unusual system for those times, which avoided any type of anticryptogamic treatment based on synthetic products, started up on two experimental parcels.
Pioneer of these attempts is Giuliano Zanolari, who continues his experiments for about 15 years on the Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon vines.
The results are fluctuating: the results are encouraging and give a lot of satisfaction, but there is no lack of disappointments and entire crops have been lost.
The great ambition to get out of the box, from the imitation of “myths”, from the tendency to copy that takes away “the art of being oneself,” to express oneself by enhancing one’s identity prevails.
The goal is to tune all the elements of the production as if they were a large orchestra: the elements are all there, just knowing how to tune them, giving them the right value, to give birth to a symphony that expresses the uniqueness of its composer.
In 2001 the Fattoria San Siro was born, a company of about 4 hectares of cultivated and certified organic vineyards throughout its process, from the plant to the bottle, and managed with passion by Marcel, Giuliano’s son.
Meanwhile, the surface has extended to about 7 hectares: 3 ha of Nebbiolo, 0.5 ha of Pinot Noir, 0.6 ha of Cabernet Sauvignon, 0.5 ha of Pinot Blanc. The rest is divided into equal parts with new clones of Cabernet, Pinot Noir and Riesling, much more resistant to diseases.
The logic that guides Marcel in the development of the family company is linked to three main factors: Head, Hands and Feet.
- Life starts from HEAD.
In it ideas, concepts, dreams and hopes are formed.
- The HAND gives shape to ideas.
He makes them, perpetuates them and “cuddles” them.
- The FOOT carries and rests.
Brings the body, leads it to the fixed goal.
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The Present
Thanks to the stubbornness of Marcel and his father Giuliano, the surface of the vineyard could be extended to 10 hectares, cultivated with Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, Traminer.
Since 2010, Marcel has also begun to introduce the principles of biodynamics into the cultivation of vines, drawing inspiration and applying Rudolf Steiner’s suggestions and concepts.
Since 2015 the company is officially recognized as a biodynamic company.
Given the peculiarity of the cultivation method, there are plenty of concerns, in particular due to the unexpected weather conditions, but despite this the line followed shows how much can be achieved if one believes in one’s passion, avoiding ethically incorrect choices only with the intent of exploit a “fashion” of organic wine at the expense of absolute respect for nature.
The commitment to give the right value to things by accompanying the wine in its natural cycle, taking care not to lose its identity and value, expressing at best what each vintage gives without changing its evolution, has brought many satisfactions and customer appreciation is complemented by prestigious international awards.
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Il Futuro
In 2007, Marcel met some very different people in terms of type of work, expectations and character, but with a common passion for wine.
From their friendship comes the idea of uniting their efforts to realize a dream: a wine that talks about history, traditions and nature. A wine that highlights its peculiarities, be it art, poetry, music, friendship, warmth; a wine that tells his life, from his origins, to development, to a maturity that allows him to be appreciated as a sincere friend: a “Vino Vivo. Like sincere friends, even this wine is not easy to find, it must be “searched” for a long time and taken care of carefully.
Thus arises the idea of enhancing and making known the qualities of these particular and original wines, not through sterile “marketing operations”, but showing us “as we are”, true and without compromise.
The logic that guides the entire production of the Company is well exemplified in the new labels and linked to three factors:
- Marcel Zanolari’s signature
represents the safety of traditional quality.
- The straight line
it is the productive path, always aimed first of all at the respect of Nature, of the particularities of the produced wine and the phases of accompaniment to its maturation.
- The point
it is the goal to reach because the wine is of quality: both ALIVE and TRUE
