Best known for his work promoting Sicilian wines, and as the co-owner of The Wine People, Stefano Girelli has spent most of his career committed to organic viticulture. Lizzy O’Riordan catches up with him to discuss being organic before it was popular, indigenous grapes and the importance of supporting growers.

As the owner of Santa Tresa and Cortese Vineyards in Vittoria, and a pioneering advocate for organic Sicilian wine production, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Stefano Girelli must have lifelong ties to the spot sometimes nicknamed the Island of the Sun.

In fact, though, a native of Trento in northern Italy, Girelli’s involvement in southern Italian wine first happened almost by accident, before spiralling into a nearly three-decade-long vocation.

Speaking to Drinks Retailing at the Fero Lounge in London, Girelli begins: “I began going down to Sicily around 30 years ago and quickly realised the incredible potential, because the place has such a unique microclimate. Then, after a few years, in 2001, we found this opportunity to get involved with Santa Tresa and took it.”

Organic winemaking

At the time that he – alongside his sister Marina – bought the vineyard, organic winemaking wasn’t common, but it was something the pair already believed in. “I knew that if we didn’t take care of the planet, we wouldn’t have a planet,” he says. “That’s something you hear about every day now, but back then everyone thought you were hippies.”

Still, forging ahead, the Girellis quickly began shifting all production to organic methods, removing the use of pesticides and swapping them for natural alternatives, such as fava beans instead of fertiliser. They also introduced more initiatives to increase biodiversity, including cultivating weeds between the vines, with different areas of the estate planted with different types of flora.

Expectedly, being in an increasingly arid climate, water conservation was one of the biggest concerns. Girelli says the vineyards collect and reuse all rainwater, using a natural system that filters the water through different stone sizes and plants. Soon, he reveals, the estates will also be able to collect water from a man-made lake they are creating, set to hold around 150,000 cubic metres.

Native grapes

Elsewhere, another major project at both Santa Tresa and Cortese is the reintroduction of native grape varieties. Reviving grapes that have fallen out of fashion, Girelli says that using indigenous varieties is an inherently sustainable decision. “We have a lot to learn from the indigenous varieties which were born there. They have resilience against the changing weather and the climate change we are facing.”

An ever-developing project, the most famous indigenous grapes include Grillo, Nero d’Avola, Carricante, Inzolia and Catarratto, as well as the increasingly trendy Frappato grape. However, according to Girelli, the list is much longer. “In fact, on our estate, we have an experimental vineyard as part of a project with the University of Palermo. There we grow 52 different varieties and clones of indigenous Sicilian grape varieties.”

One of the most exciting of these is perhaps Orisi, according to Girelli, a deep purple grape known for its floral and fruity notes. Having watched the transformation from the start, he explains: “It was a project that began in 2009 and we started with eight vines. Now, we have around 1,853 vines, producing around 2,000 bottles. The first vintage was four years ago.”

The Wine People

Moving beyond southern Italy, another significant part of Girelli’s sustainability mission is his work with The Wine People (TWP). A company he founded in 2009 alongside Peter Kosten, TWP has built a strong reputation for producing and distributing 100% vegan and organic wines from across Italy.

Operating across multiple regions, Girelli explains: “The Wine People is technically a commercial entity, but we have a totally different business model. We have three winemakers working for us full time and, with them, we go to different areas in Italy for the grapes.”

Utilising his long-term relationships with growers, TWP is then involved in the entire process from vineyard to bottle, creating collections under brands such as Purato, Volpetto, Integro and Dea del Mare, as well as Santa Tresa and Cortese.

Focused on the human side of sustainability as well as the ecological, Girelli emphasises that TWP is a socially conscious project which aims to support growers, especially those operating on a smaller scale.

“We need to provide enough return for these growers to survive,” he says. “Four or five years ago there were some Sicilian growers who weren’t even being paid enough to cover the cost of picking the grapes, which is killing the business. If we don’t take care of our growers, then we’re going to be all by ourselves.”

Continuing, Girelli adds: “I think this is part of our responsibility – to support these growers in different regions.” Then, as a larger entity, it is up to TWP to make the wine, bottle it in a certified facility and prepare the products for the export market, an area in which they have extensive expertise.

Concluding thoughts

Across TWP, Santa Tresa and Cortese alike, much of building a sustainable business is based on trial and error, Girelli says, as we wrap up our conversation. “The wine business is constantly developing and it’s something that’s alive.”

Naturally, this means there are mistakes along the way. “We have a lot of testing going on and, within that, there are lots of mistakes which we have to bury, because we don’t always get it right.”

For him, though, this is no reason to be disheartened. Rather, it is all part of the process of making better wines, cultivating stronger relationships and creating a healthier planet. Worthy aims on all fronts, after speaking with Stefano Girelli, it’s easy to feel inspired.