Forci Farm

Our farming philosophy begins with keen observation. Recognizing our integral role within nature, we understand ourselves as essential components of a living organism governed by delicate balances that demand our acknowledgment and careful management.

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.

Glass_line

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.

OUR 2022 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.

Vegetables, fruit and herbs garden

Forci is intended as an agricultural organism that will not be limited to the production of wine and oil. We have started a small vegetable production, fruit trees will soon be planted and the historic vegetable garden under the Villa di Forci will soon be restored. Also we planted our first medicinal herbs for different kinds of natural healing. All this produce will be feeding the future farm to table restaurant, farm shop and healing sanctuary. We have been working with Kayatree to design our vegetable garden and orchard on the basis of permaculture.

Animals

We have welcomed our first animals during spring 2024. We have started with the hens, with a project that perfectly represents the idea of ​​circularity, the basis of all our activities. The hens live in mobile chicken coops, the gabions (useful to protect them from daytime predators) are positioned in rotation among the olive groves.

This way, the hens manage the grass, reducing the need for brush cutters. They feed on fresh grass, producing high-quality eggs. Their scratching and excrement improve soil health, and they eat fly larvae. We also hope to introduce bees and cows to graze in the woods, but we know the importance of taking one step at a time.

Meet the Farmers

Luigi Fenoglio

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"

Angelo Meschi

Animal & Chicken Coop Manager
Angelo's love for animals probably comes from his heart and the need to take care of someone or something. He has been moving around the Lucca hills for years now, he was born and raised there, and he is very good in the vineyard as in the olive groves. But his heart is in the woods, in the sky, in the stables and in the waterways. It beats to the rhythm of all the animals around us, including wild ones, all those with whom we have the fortune and immense fortune of sharing this wonderful corner of the world.

Our products

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 IGT Toscana 2022

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

Forci Rosso Le Voliere IGT Toscana 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.

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