Fabbrica di San Martino | Colline Lucchese Rosso Arcipressi

Tuscan chicken liver pâté on toast, tomatoes with olive oil, basil, and salt, pasta e fagioli (Italian pasta and bean soup), chicken in tomato sauce and polenta.

Fabbrica di San Martino was founded in 1735 in the hills outside of the town of Lucca in Tuscany. A twenty hectare property surrounded by woodland with two and a half hectares of vines - exposed full south and sitting in an area of great biological diversity. Having run one of Lucca’s favorite trattorias for many years, Giuseppe Ferrua (known as Beppe) began tending the vines here several decades ago and without any formal training. He set about learning by working alongside and carefully watching the farmers who had looked after the land for many years. Having discovered that the vineyards had never been subject to chemicals, he continued this way of farming and later converted the farm to biodynamics. In the farm’s tiny cantina, Beppe does the simple things well and employs no tricks. As is so often the case, a healthy vineyard gives pure, vibrant wines and Beppe’s are defined by their soulful purity and real sense of place. One of the most passionate and intuitive cooks we know, it comes as little surprise that his wines make so much sense on the table, having a real affinity with the region’s rustic dishes.