Fattoria La Vialla is a farm like no other. It offers the best, biodynamic, Demeter-certified Italian delicacies – right at your doorstep. Situated in the heart of Tuscany, about an hour from Florence in the region of Chianti, this incredible organic farm has been producing a fantastic range of the best olive oils, wines, antipasti, sauces, but also organic food supplements, and cosmetics for the past 45 years. Adhering to the highest Demeter standards Fattoria La Vialla works in harmony with the land. Their natural and sustainable delicatessen, most of them vegan, are exclusively available via their webshop and catalog for delivery. For food lovers from Switzerland and Germany however, there is the possibility to explore their four pantries “Speisekammern” to taste the whole range of Fattoria La Vialla.
Join us for our visit to the Speisekammer in Rothrist, Switzerland to taste the first fruits of the season and experience “la dolce vita” à la Vialla…
Under the Tuscan sun
Rolling hills adorned with cypress trees, lush vineyards as far as the eye can see, and olive groves, old and rugged, yet full of life, kissed by the Tuscan sun – traveling through Tuscany, exploring Florence, Siena and the many hidden villages of the Chianti region, is a dream. But this dream would only be half as good, without the incredible food and wine, the fruits of the fertile Tuscan soil, the golden sunshine, and the gentle care of its farmers.
The Tuscan gem
Nestled in these hills lies Fattoria La Vialla, a biodynamic family farm, that produces just like they did in the old days, without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. They are in harmony with nature, respecting every gift the land has to offer. Never taking more than needed and giving back to the land with gratitude. Their fantastic olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pasta, pesto, sugo, myriads of antipasti, sauces, and of course, the incredible Demeter quality wines are acclaimed universally. Unfortunately, though, most of us do not have the privilege to travel to Tuscany regularly. We live in longing for the next chance to escape the cold and visit the land of the gentle sun at La Vialla.
A secret
But what if there were a Tuscan pantry, overflowing with the most delicious treats, right at your doorstep? A place full of warmth, hospitality, and joy, where your every Italian food wish is instantly fulfilled. Sounds too good, to be true? We thought the same. But keep reading and we’ll share the secret with you. Trust us, once you discover the amazing Italian delicacies of Fattoria La Vialla, produced to the highest Demeter standards, you will never look back.
The Invitation
It began with a letter and greetings from the kitchen around New Year. The small box at our doorstep was a surprise. Beautifully laid with straw and hay from the fields, nestled in which we found the cutest little bottles of fresh olive oil, vinegar, and red wine, a letter, and a key. “Seasonal greetings from Tuscany – The new harvest has arrived! – Come and taste the first fruits! The Viallini at the pantry in Rothrist awaits your visit. Sincerely – The family of Fattoria La Vialla!” Attached was a magical-looking key card (out of olive wood!), which we were told to bring along for our visit. To say we were intrigued would be an understatement. We were brimming with excitement to see who was behind this most unexpected gift.
The pantry – a Tuscan welcome in Rothrist
“Ciao amici, benvenuti! Come in, come in”! With a big smile across his face and open arms, Ivan, the heart and soul of the pantry bids us in. And with one step, we leave the grey January day behind and enter a piece of Tuscany in Rothrist. From the outside, the building looks like any warehouse, but inside a warm Italian welcome awaits. The large room is filled with beautiful displays of delicious-looking treats. Whilst Ivan walks us through the pantry, we catch glimpses of brightly green shimmering bottles with the new harvest olive oil fresh from the press. We also see the hampers filled with glasses of Demeter antipasti, sugo, pasta, and cantuccini and beautiful bottles of wine.
The kitchen
“I hope you guys are hungry, there is lots to try!”, Ivan says, as he guides us up the stairs, where a couple of nicely laid wooden tables are spread out. The air is steeped with inviting scents of freshly baked bread and pasta. To the right is the open kitchen with a big oven, a hub of activity, where the ladies of the house are busy. A rich buffet is already prepared and tastefully arranged. We happily help ourselves to homemade focaccia with rosemary and bombolini tomatoes, a rich selection of antipasti, and some fresh bread dipped in olive oil, and sit down with Ivan, keen to learn more about this amazing place.
Fattoria La Vialla – a project of love and passion
The food tastes fantastic and fresh and more keeps coming, whilst Ivan lets us in on how it all began. “La Vialla has always been a family farm, driven by love for the land and the best Italian food”. As a matter of fact, Ivan tells us, it started as the dream project of a passionate young couple. Piero and Giuliana lo Franco, the parents and grandparents of the Viallinis today, when traveling through the Tuscan countryside, fell in love with an abandoned property in the hills of Chianti close to Arezzo.
A vision
At that time, due to economic challenges, many people had given up farming in Tuscany and a lot of land lay barren. Piero and Giuliana were overwhelmed by the rugged beauty of the land and had a dream to revive it to its original glory. Whilst starting the work to renovate “Ca’ dell’Oro” (House of the gold) in 1978, they also acquired some surrounding properties with their vineyards and olive groves, among them “La Vialla” and developed a vision to bring farming back to the land in a sustainable way that would benefit the people, the land and the animals.
Farming at Fattoria La Vialla – learn from the old ways for a sustainable future
From the outset, they were convinced that the modern way of industrialized agriculture, heavily relying on big monocultures, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides was not the right way. They believed that there was beauty in the old way of doing things, in harmony with nature, but wanted to marry old traditions with a modern approach. Inspired by the nascent “organic” movement Fattoria La Vialla became one of the first certified organic farms in Italy in 1983. And the Lo Francos never stopped developing the organic idea further. In 1997 La Vialla became a certified biodynamic farm and obtained the even stricter Demeter certification in 2005. Today their parent’s passion and love for farming have inspired Piero’s and Giuliana’s three sons. Gianni, Antonio, and Bandino continue the work and run the farm as a family enterprise, taking it from strength to strength.
A sustainable approach
With a size of 1.600 hectares, Fattoria La Vialla has become one of the largest Demeter farms in Europe. The vision and hard work of two lovers has inspired generations, revived the land, and provided work for hundreds of people. It proves every day that it is possible to farm in a way that is healing for the land and sustainable. The incredible produce Fattoria La Vialla offers today is made to a standard that even surpasses the strict Demeter guidelines. They are always going one step further, working closely with universities in Italy and abroad for the best results. By combining new technologies, science, and the wisdom of their ancestors, Fattoria La Vialla is a carbon-negative lighthouse project that inspires many that real change is possible.
Love the living soil – The Fattoria La Vialla way of doing things
“Smell this! Try that! Isn’t it amazing? Like fresh from the field!” Ivan’s excitement as he offers us samples of the broad range of La Vialla’s delicatessen is infectious and justifiably so. The taste of the homemade sauces and antipasti is breathtaking. “Many people who come here taste such a quality of food for the first time. They sometimes don’t even know that food can taste like this”, he adds. “For me, the love for the soil and the plants, that inspires everything we do at La Vialla, is tasteable”. Behind every jar from stands a firm conviction that we need to work in harmony with nature. The motto of Nonna Caterina, Piero’s grandmother was “Metti bòn, cava bòn!” – “If you put something good in, you will receive something good.”
Demeter farming, especially the kind practiced at Fattoria La Vialla can sound like an esoteric project. “In reality, it means that we listen to nature!”, says Ivan. “For us, the whole farm is a single organism, of which we need to take care. We use as little machinery as possible, enrich the soil with our organic compost, and cherish diversity. In our vineyard, we sow flowers, legumes, and grain, because it is good for nature and great for wine. La Vialla lives and works in sync with the natural cycles. But that doesn’t mean that we are backward.
Always going for quality
We embrace everything that enables us to produce even better food. For our sauces for example we hand-pick the vegetables when they are the ripest and process them immediately. Processing à la Vialla means we wash them immediately and cook them in a special vessel under a vacuum. Why? This allows us to keep the temperature low and the cooking time short. Thus maintaining the freshest flavor and the most nutrients. The result is the incredible food that you taste right now. There is nothing better!”
Liquid gold – The Fattoria La Vialla extra virgin olive oil
“Hold the glass against the light. Look at this wonderful color! Now warm it in your hand, swirl it, and take a deep breath!” The smell is overwhelming – freshly cut grass, wild fennel, artichokes, and a distinctive spicy note. “Now take a small sip and swallow”. The green elixir hits the taste buds intensely and it all but scratches the throat, as we swallow. One almost has to sneeze. “Wild, right?!”, asks Ivan. “This is how a great Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil should taste. If it doesn’t scratch even a little, you don’t want it”. We learn that not all olive oils are created equal. Whilst we knew that extra-virgin is what one should look for, we had never experienced Demeter oils like the four varieties Fattoria La Vialla is offering.
The difference
All La Vialla olive oils are unfiltered and extracted cold. This makes them incredibly flavourful, and high in Vitamin E, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. “The old saying ‘Let food be thy medicine!’ is really fitting here,” explains Ivan. By now science can confirm that premium quality olive oil like the liquid gold from La Vialla, actually lowers the cholesterol level in the body and protects it from oxidative stress.
A modern twist
“At Fattoria La Vialla, we harvest by hand, not with machines. Some of our olives are still a little unripe. That’s when the polyphenol and aroma level is the highest. We press our olive oil on the same day, following the old tradition in a stone mill. But we add a modern twist to it, by covering the grinding stones with an airtight dome. This unique approach, a La Vialla patent by the way, prevents oxidation and keeps the polyphenol level high. And our solar power system makes the whole mill carbon neutral”. What a brilliant example of how at Fattoria La Vialla tradition is married to innovation for the highest Demeter quality.
OliPhenolia – how olives become medicine at Fattoria La Vialla
The sensation is bitter, yet aromatic, with a distinct taste of olives. “This is pure olive elixir!”, explains Ivan. The little jar, labeled “OliPhenolia” is the latest innovation at Fattoria La Vialla. But the inspiration behind it is the wisdom of Nonna Caterina. During the oil pressing she used to drink the fruit water of the olives, which is normally filtered out, extolling the health benefits of “aqua mora” – the dark water.
Something unexpected
Back then nobody wanted to join her, as the intense liquid is very bitter indeed. But Nonna Caterina’s excellent health into old age inspired the Lo Franco brothers to research the properties of the olive fruit water with scientists from several universities. The result was astonishing! The polyphenol content of the fruit water was twenty times higher than that in the olive oil itself. “A single shot of this contains the same amount of polyphenols as a liter of olive oil minus the fat!”, explains Ivan excitedly.
A cosmetics range
Fattoria La Vialla, following the wisdom of Nonna Caterina, suggests doing an OliPhenolia detox. The detox should be done four times a year for 16 days to reboot the system. In case you find the taste a bit too bitter, they have just released a new version. It combines the extract of Sicilian Oranges for extra Vitamin C with OliPhenolia. The remarkable liquid even inspired a client, who makes cosmetics, to offer Fattoria La Vialla a cosmetics range based on “acqua mora”. By now, this has garnered international recognition. It was just awarded as the “Runner up” at the Sustainable Beauty Awards 2022 in Paris. It certainly feels amazingly soothing as we try it. And we, for one, are convinced that Nonna Caterina was onto something!
Fattoria La Vialla – a treasure trove of excellence
We roam through the pantry and admire the wonderful displays of food and wine and one thing becomes clear. There is so much more to discover about the amazing products and ingenuity of Fattoria La Vialla. They produce incredible, unfiltered, Demeter-certified wines. These are easily on par with the best Super Tuscans out there. It wins them several accolades every year. Including 11x “Best Producer Organic Italy” – Berliner Wein Trophy and 9x Best Producer of the year international – MundusVini Biofach.
Their pasta is to die for and made the old way, with an interesting gluten-free range as well. You will find true antipasti heaven. We are talking green asparagus pâté, wild fennel olives, or baby artichokes in extra virgin olive oil, to name but a few. And their homemade sauces and pestos will make any dish shine. Fattoria La Vialla also has a broad range of vegan options, with all their wines being vegan, too.
The La Vialla experience right at your doorstep
By now you might be wondering, where you can find the Fattoria La Vialla Demeter products. You might have never seen them with any of the big retailers or online shops. There is a good reason for that. La Vialla only sells directly to its customers. “It really began with people visiting the farm, who wanted to take something along.”, says Ivan. “We always loved the idea of a farm shop, because it allows our friends to see where everything comes from. It helps to connect with the La Vialla spirit. Our challenge was to make this farm shop available to everyone, no matter where you are. By now all of our Demeter produce is available via our online store. And we package and ship in a sustainable manner. A lot of our friends also love our catalog!”
The catalogs
Leafing through one of them, we understand what he means. Instead of a product list, we hold what feels like a coffee table book in our hands. Filled with beautiful photographs, stories, and recipes, we are immediately transported to Tuscany and join the wine harvest frolics at La Vialla, dancing through the vineyards and enjoying an al fresco meal under the olive trees with the Viallini family!
A very special key to food paradise
“But of course, there is no better way to get to know the La Vialla spirit, than to come and visit our pantry, as you guys did!”, adds Ivan. “We love to meet people and share our passion for sustainable Demeter farming. If you live in Switzerland or Germany, our four pantries look forward to your visit. You can taste anything your heart desires and on Saturdays, we usually cook something special. We host wine tastings and other events as well. All you need to do is go to the website beforehand and register yourself to get the Fattoria La Vialla key card”. We suddenly remember the beautiful olive wood key card we had received. “Let me show you the magic!”, says Ivan excitedly.
Something unexpected
As we walk down towards the exit and are surprised to find no till. “Just wait and watch!” A happy couple pushing their overflowing trolley towards the exit briefly stops and puts their key card on a reader. They enter their personal pin and walk by. “Arrivederci Ivan!” – “Arrivederci amici, see you soon!” And just like that they are out of the building. An RFID reader in the wall has registered all their shopping, explains Ivan, and the bill is already sent to their e-mail with an easy link to pay. “You see, at La Vialla we always embrace ways that help us focus on what really matters. Instead of sitting at the till, I have more time to do what I love, talking to my guests or letting them taste something extra!”, smiles Ivan.
Until next time
After a final espresso and some homemade sweets (vegan pancakes with an incredibly delicious jam filling and Tuscan orange tart), the time has come to say goodbye. We couldn’t have had a more wonderful experience, being tended to by our incredible hosts. Time had truly flown by.
We came as guests and leave as friends, members of a worldwide family, whose foundations were laid 45 years ago, in the love and passion of Piero and Giuliana to build a farm that would nourish and unite people and the land and serve as a model for the way we could live. After this wonderful experience, we can’t wait for our next journey, which will surely take us to Tuscany. Ivan has hinted that they also have an Agriturismo. And what better place to experience “la dolce vita” La Vialla style, than where it all began, in the magical hills of Chianti at Fattoria La Vialla! To be continued…
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