The Agricultural Company of the Abbey of Farneta
by Alessandro Piconi
The agricultural company of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Cortona is located in the Municipality of Cortona (AR), in the Farneta area, and is managed by Piconi Alessandro’s Agricultural Company, based in Cascia (PG).
It covers approximately 130 hectares around the ancient Abbey of Farneta and is active in the production of olive oil, grapes, and arable crops.
The true pride of the company is the production of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The olive grove dates back to the 10th century and was established by the Black Benedictine monks who founded the Abbey of Farneta.
Today, the olives, cultivated naturally in our olive groves on the hills surrounding the Abbey of Farneta, are harvested at the right stage of ripeness and quickly pressed in the company’s mill to produce a high-quality product that enhances the flavors and aromas of the oil from our lands.
The expertise of the staff and the continuous cold pressing process, just as in the time of the Benedictine monks, allow us to produce a fragrant oil with high-quality standards. This process results in a superior product, richer in compounds that enhance the characteristics of extra virgin olive oil and ensure a longer shelf life.
Our production of organic extra virgin olive oil comes from the FRANTOIO, LECCINO, MORAIOLO, and PENDOLINO cultivars.
Wines
At the company, you can also find the excellent Cortona Vin Santo DOC, made from Trebbiano, Grechetto, and Sangiovese grapes grown in our vineyard, heir to the vineyards planted by the Benedictine monks.
The grapes are hand-picked and hung in special drying rooms for the optimal drying period. Their subsequent processing is carried out in full respect of the ancient traditions of the Abbey to produce a high-quality product.
I grappoli vengono raccolti a mano e appesi in appositi locali per un periodo ottimale di appassimento. La lavorazione successiva avviene nel pieno rispetto dell’antica tradizione dell’Abbazia, al fine di ottenere un prodotto di alta qualità.
The Abbey of Farneta: a bit of history
The Abbey of Farneta has a history spanning over a thousand years, with the first recorded mention dating back to the Lombard period.
According to historians, it was founded around the 8th century by the monks of Saint Columbanus, who adopted the Benedictine reform in the 9th century. The first documented reference dates back to 1014. The abbey later passed to the Olivetan monks, who, in the 13th century, brought it to its peak of splendor by expanding its landholdings, eventually controlling much of the lower Val di Chiana.
In the 15th century, the abbey began its decline, and after 1799, during the French occupation, it was suppressed.
Of the entire abbey complex, now mostly destroyed, only the church remains, which dates back to the 10th century. It is considered one of the earliest examples of Romanesque architecture in the Arezzo area.
In the late 18th century, the church and the abbey’s assets passed under the care of the Cathedral of Cortona. In 1937, Don Sante Felice, the parish priest of Farneta, successfully began the restoration of the church and the recovery of the artworks and archaeological artifacts discovered near the sacred building.
The Chapter of the Cathedral of Cortona established "The Agricultural Company of the Abbey of Farneta" on the abbey’s lands, located in the Farneta area.
Since 2021, this company has been managed by Piconi Alessandro’s Agricultural Company, based in Cascia.
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