Ornellaia keeps the air clean

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Tenuta dell'Ornellaia in the Maremma region on the Tuscan coast, one of the first so-called Supertuscans, in conjuction with the the University of Florence, is running an experiment to measure the amount of CO2 absorbed by their vines, pictured here.

The project is being coordinated by Professor Giovanni Mattii from the University of Florence's department of horticulture. He explained that 'the data collected at the Tenuta dell'Ornellaia show that a hectare of vineyard absorbs 15 tons of CO2 per year, which become 1,500 if we take into account the estate's 100 total hectares, and 20,000 for all of Bolgheri. This is the equivalent of the CO2 emitted by 6,000 cars that each drives 20,000 km per year.'

Another good reason to grow grapes and drink wine.

See today's article Top Tuscan 1999s and 2001s for Jancis's very recent tasting note on Ornellaia 1999 (and many, many more via the Tasting notes search).