We are in Sardinia, in the heart of Sarcidano, 60 km north of Cagliari. In Gergei, a small town overlooking the vast plains alternating with rolling hills, lays Olianas: winery founded in 2000, which has embraced the BioIntegral philosophy and now produces 100% biointegrated wines with the vintage year 2014.
Here, the total respect for the soil, minimizes the use of tracked or rubber vehicles to avoid excessive soil compaction. For this, Stefano Casadei and Artemio Olianas – the two shareholders of the company – favor the use of draft horses: ancient methods of processing that enhance the oxygenation of the soil and the subsequent rooting of vines up to the deeper layers of the soil, ensuring longevity to the plants.
Vegan and Dinette arrived from France in May 2014. They are two Comtois, tame but tireless workhorses. “They talk” in French – “Doucement, Dinette, doucement” suggests Enrico when he encourages her to take a new spin, directing her bending with sweet determination. And she, diligent and tenacious, pulls the plow that moves the clay-sandy clods of the Estate, down and up the slope along which grow vineyards.
Comtois, besides being hard workers, they are beautiful: powerful animals, glossy, with thick mane to the wind – Dinette also sports a woven lock, like the little girl of the house.
“When you hold the reins – says Anna Baj Macario, Stefano’s wife and great expert of horses – and from the stable you arrive to the path to access the vineyard [at the beginning of the row, ed], feel through the hands that the horse stops, focuses and sets to start working.”
The measured rhythmic, regular pace, of these animals is the secret to work the clods with continuity, without shakes, steadily and smoothly.
Vegan and Dinette take turns in pulling a bright red wagon to which, are also hooked the working tools: in this way, the young Enrico – reins in his hand, standing on the cart – can maneuver the animal standing still, because he is driven in turn by the horse.
In Olianas the horse is not folklore but history, respect for nature, natural fertilizer, it is away from pollution and emissions, it is silence, concentration, work. It is BioIntegral.