Vineyard
At Podere Campo Sasso, Pierre Gouttenoire draws inspiration from Tuscany’s historic coltura promiscua system, where vineyards, olive trees, fruit trees, crops, and livestock coexisted within a single productive ecosystem.
The vineyard itself is a true passion project. In the spring of 2023, Pierre—formerly a professional agronomist and winemaker in France—planted 500 vines by hand. Four very different grape varieties, Zibibbo, Assyrtiko, Riesling, and Petit Manseng, were planted in a grid pattern throughout the olive grove. The young vines grow like small trees beside olive trees, ancient fruit trees, artichokes, berries, and wild vegetation, echoing agricultural practices used by the Etruscans more than 3,000 years ago.
Rather than recreating the past, Campo Sasso offers a modern interpretation of this diversified farming model, now known as agroforestry. By combining different plant species within the same space, nature is encouraged to create balance, resilience, and biodiversity while avoiding many of the challenges associated with monoculture.
Permanent natural ground cover protects the soil, supports microbial life, and improves water retention, while hens and a rooster contribute to the ecological balance of the vineyard-orchard system.
The vines are trained using the Guyot method and gradually grow into the surrounding trees, creating a modern version of the traditional "married vine" system. At Campo Sasso, the vine is not cultivated in isolation but as part of a living ecosystem where trees, animals, and diverse plant species work together to promote long-term sustainability and harmony with the land.
