OUR PHILOSOPHY
So, what is the driving philosophy of Società Agricola Villa Santo Stefano? It is undoubtedly Wolfgang Reitzle’s natural passion to always pursue and produce the best, to seek perfection. But more than that, it’s the desire to take full advantage of the potential offered by this charming landscape, its unique soil and special climate, to produce exceptional oil and wine that are both a tribute and a declaration of love to this magnificent area - the Lucchesia. The old Villa Bertolli was supposed to be just a holiday home, but it was simply love at first sight. Its unique hillside location, with breathtaking views over the valley and to the sea in the distance, the lush vegetation, and the magnificent town of Lucca only a few kilometres away, make the villa a perfect holiday spot. However, when Wolfgang Reitzle and Nina Ruge tasted their first extra virgin olive oil and wine from their little vineyard, everything changed and Mr. Reitzle decided to dedicate himself fully to the ancient and noble business of winemaking and olive oil production.
“The biggest enemy of quality is haste.”
HENRY FORD
Being, by nature, the kind of person who always strives for the best, Mr. Reitzle leveraged the achievements of the top experts in the business. For his extra virgin olive oil, he sought the collaboration of the Pruneti brothers, producers of the highest quality oil in San Polo in the Chianti region. For many generations, their oil has charted amongst the best in the quality rankings. It was, for example, the Pruneti brothers who suggested investing in the use of nitrogen for storing pressed oil.
Das Weintraining erhielt er von einigen renommierten Önologen. Heute ist der Önologe Attilio Pagli verantwortlich für die permanente Verfeinerung der Weinqualität. Die tägliche Arbeit vor Ort wird von weiteren Profis verantwortet. Von dem Verwalter des Anwesens und Agronom Alessandro Garzi und dem Önologen Alessio Farnesi.
"Qualität ist das Produkt der Liebe zum Detail."