Cold can be a gift. Not every winter should feel like spring.
At Tenuta San Leonardo in Vallagarina, Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga told WineNews winter temperatures fell to −8°C. Rain then helped soils store water, while balanced light and moderate temperatures supported even growth. Today the estate reports a generous crop and excellent grape health. Rows stay grassed: one alley mowed, the neighbor left tall as refuge for beneficial insects. That approach backs San Leonardo’s Biodiversity Friend Platinum certification. Prospects look good — though a final quality judgment, he stresses, is still early.
Mini-lesson: biodiversity is not a sticker only. Tall grass alleys are habitat. Winter cold can knock back pests and reset the season. Healthy vines are an ecosystem story, not just a spray schedule or a marketing line on the back label.
For drinkers, “sustainable” should mean you can picture insects, frost and grass — not only a logo. Choosing this kind of bottle is choosing a farm that still works with winter, not against every cold night.
Pattern: −8°C winter, grassed rows, Platinum biodiversity, generous healthy crop. Cold and life can work together.