Biohotels & Sustainability

The owner at the winery we visited last week explained how they operate as a biohotel. They use organic processes but go one step further and view their entire production as one living entity. This means that they try to recycle and reuse as much as possible. They compost the stems from pruning and the grass when they cut it. The goal is to be sustainable and to treat the product with gentle care through every aspect of its life and through this philosophy the product will turn out well. 

Sustainability is a hot topic in Italy. It is a theme in the Milan Expo and it's one of first differences observed when visiting Italy. The locals separate carbon based products for composting, glass and plastic for recycling, and then the rest goes in the trash.  This is a refreshing change from the U.S. where many people don't recycle and simply trash everything. 

A reason that sustainability is so important to Italians is that they believe in purity and quality of their products. Food is an incredibly important part of Italian culture so it only makes sense that they want to respect the ingredients they use. Part of respecting the ingredients is ensuring that they will have the opportunity to use the ingredients for years to come. This leads to the wholistic view of sustainability in modern Italian society. 

-LJC