#06 - Biodynamic Winemaking with Saverio Petrilli

In this episode, we’re thrilled to be joined by Saverio Petrilli, an award-winning winemaker who helped put Lucca on the wine map. Saverio’s journey took him across Australia and New Zealand, where he mastered innovative techniques in winemaking. Eventually, he returned to Italy to collaborate with his friends at Tenuta di Valgiano on producing biodynamic wines—a bold endeavour in a region that was hardly known for wine, let alone biodynamic methods. This led him to found Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendenti in 2008.

In 2013, Saverio co-founded LuccaBioDinamica with Luigi Fenoglio, whom we also interviewed for our Forci series, check it out! Together, they inspired local producers to embrace biodynamic agriculture. Today, thanks to Saverio’s huge passion, 70 percent of Lucca’s producers have shifted from pesticides to organic practices. His wines have won numerous awards and earned Lucca a place on the global wine map.

Saverio now advises several farms, including Tenuta di Forci, where he has played a key role in our biodynamic journey. I am super excited to dive into your story, insights, and your approach to biodynamic winemaking.

Key topics:

1. Saverio’s journey from conventional to biodynamic farming
2. Biodynamic vs. organic farming
3. Biodynamic techniques and practises
4. Financial viability of regenerative farming
5. The soil health movement
6. Health benefits of biodynamic wine 

http://linkedin.com/in/saverio-petrilli-b7089749