Forci Farm

Our approach to agriculture begins first and foremost with observation. We know we are part of nature itself, one of the elements that make up a living organism governed by precious balances that must be recognized and addressed.

Our Vision

“We like to think that our products are first of all an expression of the fertility of the earth, which is why we focus mainly on the health of the soil and its structuring. If the soil is healthy and breath, strong plants, good grapes, good olives and good vegetables will grow.”

– Luigi, Head of Forci Farm

Biodynamic
Agriculture

We practice biodynamic agriculture, with awareness and conviction. Biodynamic preparations are carriers of impulses, they serve to support life and convey light, but they would be useless without the active and creative collaboration of the farmer. Hence our daily commitment to try to capture what nature is trying to tell us. We do not use synthetic chemical molecules, the grass is mowed mechanically and the soil is often worked manually to avoid the risk of compaction as much as possible.

Vineyards and Wine

Forci boasts 4 hectares of active vineyards, soon expanding to 7. Wine and olive cultivation have thrived here for centuries, despite periodic vineyard reconstructions. Our soil, a blend of clay, stones, silt, and sand, benefits from green manure—a mix of over 20 plants sown post-harvest, aiding soil structure. Biodynamic preparations guide our treatments, using copper and sulfur sparingly.

Hand-harvested grapes undergo simple destemming without machinery, then ferment naturally in small barrels. Our winemaking ethos prioritizes vineyard care, meticulously seeking grape ripeness. Continuous observation and gentle handling in the cellar aim to enhance rather than overpower the raw material. Forci's biodiverse terroir, with its temperature variations, imparts elegance and depth to our wines.

DISCOVER OUR WINES

Tastings

We organize tastings for small groups. Together, we will take a look at our vineyards and olive groves on the estate, dating back to the 1400s. There will be time to visit our Tinaio and historic Olive Mill with explanations of all products and processes. Admiring one of the most beautiful views, we will continue with the tasting of our two wines, accompanied by crispy focaccia.

We host tastings every Wednesday, each lasting about 1.30 hours. Please book by writing an email to [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance.

Olive and Oil

There are approximately 16 hectares of olive groves planted here in Forci, but some of them have been taken from the forest over the last thirty years, and now we are trying to free the plants to slowly bring them back into production. We have just under 3’000 olive trees and some are very old, while others were replanted after the severe frost in the winter of 1985 which hit Lucca.

The olive tree varieties are mostly Frantoio, but also Leccino and Moraiolo. As in the vineyards, no synthetic chemical molecules are used and the only treatment carried out on the olive trees is to contain the attacks of the olive flies. It is a product called Kaolin, a clay that envelops the plants making the olives an inhospitable environment for the flies to lay their eggs. One of the results, beyond its effectiveness, is that until the next rain the olive groves are surrounded by a shining whiteness that gives the landscape an almost magical charm.

The oil is produced directly on the company, through our internal oil mill, which guarantees us great quality since the olives are harvested and pressed immediately afterwards, on the same day as the harvest.

Vegetable Garden and Orchard

We love the idea of biodiversity, knowing the benefits it brings to the entire ecosystem, and so we've planted a small vegetable garden and fruit orchard alongside the vineyards and olive groves. Along with the fruit trees, we've also planted some shrubs, creating an agroforestry system where our chickens roam freely.
Fruit, eggs, and vegetables are served to guests who visit us, sold directly in our Farm Shop, or used to make products like pickled olives, crushed Lucca tomatoes, and onion compote.

Animals

We've designed a small mobile chicken coop that allows us to graze the chickens between the rows of fruit trees. The idea is obviously to produce high-quality eggs, but there are several other positive aspects. The chickens help manage the grass, resulting in less use of the brush cutter and less waste of diesel fuel. They have fresh grass to feed on and improve soil health through scratching and droppings.

We'd also like to have some bees and some cows grazing in the woods, but we know that to do things right, we need to have the patience to proceed one step at a time.

Meet the Farmers

Luigi Fenoglio

Farm director
Luigi, first, felt in love with wine, its narrative and its strong cultural value. He collaborated for years with SlowFood, had two restaurants and was national coordinator of the Italian Federation of Independent Winegrowers for a decade. During these years he has learned about biodynamics, fallen in love with it, and everything that follows is nothing more than a progressive and constant get close to the ground.

Simone Lippi

Tractor Driver & Vehicle Operator
Simone was born and raised here, a few hundred meters from Forci and knows these places well, the ground, its movements, the rhythms of nature and its seasonality. Drive vehicles elegantly, trying not to weigh on the ground and avoid compaction as much as possible. Simone and his kindness bring balance, in the fields as among us.

Francesco Lenci

Vineyard & Cellar Manager
Francesco grew up among the rows of the Lucca hills and the management of a vineyard, in all its phases, is part of him. He began observing the ground when he was little more than a child. After more than 10 years the experience has grown enormously, but his gaze has remained the same, full of daily amazement and gratitude. He is equally passionate about wine and its production, for which he is operationally responsible.

Alfredo Tessieri

Vegetable Garden, Olive Groves & Orchard Manager
Practical and thoughtful man. Perfectly aware of the fact that if you don't eat well you can't think well, he dedicates himself with great energy and passion to the cultivation of vital, nutritious and light-filled vegetables. He travels, compares, listens. The eyes with which he looks at an onion, an olive tree to be pruned or a tomato growing in the sun are similar to those of Pablo Neruda when he wrote his "Odas Elementales"

Our products

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

An exquisite extra virgin olive oil, cold-pressed, boasting a medium to intense fruity flavor that tantalizes the senses with its fragrant aroma, followed by intriguing and distinctive (subtly) spicy undertones.

Olives

Crafted from handpicked, pristine green olives that never touch the ground, our traditional packaging method ensures their purity. With just a hint of water and salt, and absolutely no preservatives added, these olives excel in the kitchen, yet truly shine when savored alone as a delectable appetizer.

Forci Rosso 2023

Sangiovese 60% - Canaiolo 30% - Colorino 10%. A wine characterized by floral and spicy aromas, with a pleasant and lively drinkability.

Forci Le Voliere 2022

Sangiovese 60% - Canaiolo 30% - Colorino 10%. A succulent wine, elegant in its aromas, and progressively intriguing on the palate, enhanced by well-integrated tannins.

Chopped Lucca tomatoes and basil

Our finest tomatoes, ripened on the vine under the July and August sun, harvested and delicately processed before being preserved in glass jars. No additives or preservatives, just tomatoes and basil grown in our garden, a little salt, and the light of the summer just gone.

Onion compote

Onions and a little sugar, nothing more, just a squeeze of lemon juice. The onion compote is perfect on a good slice of toast, on a burger, and, above all, with cheeses, preferably slightly aged ones.

PRODUCT DATA SHEETS:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Forci Red 2023
Forci Le Voliere 2022

To order your products, contact us at [email protected]