Piantagrossa
Donnas, Valle d'Aosta, Italy
Born in Donnas, Piantagrossa takes its name from the “Pianta Grossa” horse chestnut that stood for 396 years in an old farmhouse courtyard until it was felled in 2009, inspiring Luciano Zoppo Ronzero to found the winery in 2014 so the place would keep the tree’s presence alive. Rooted in three generations of family tradition in the Aosta Valley, the estate farms about four hectares on dramatic, steep terraces in Pont-Saint-Martin and Donnas, trained in the local pergola system and supported by ancient dry stone walls. Their philosophy is an almost obsessive respect for the mountain environment, practicing natural agriculture without irrigation, chemical treatments, or pesticides, and relying on sustainable, natural methods for insect control. From vineyard work through winemaking, ageing, and bottling, the approach is deliberately hands-on and “heroic,” shaped by cellar work that visitors can see alongside the vineyards where the wines first begin.
