There is a secret that our land in Regione Isola Manente jealously guards at a depth of about one meter. We discovered it together with my father during the long and demanding preparation work for the vineyard planting. As the excavator dug deep to analyze the soil structure, we realized we weren't just preparing a row of vines; we were opening a window into a story thousands of years old.

Beneath the first meter of loose soil, composed of a soft blend of sand and silt, an endless expanse of rounded river stones suddenly appeared. These are water-polished stones of incredibly regular size—about 10-15 centimeters each. This mineral "foundation" is the geological evidence of an ancient riverbed: right there, where our Moscatello vines grow today, the pulsing heart of a river once flowed, shaping the Taggia valley.

• Excellence in Drainage: While the sand and silt on the surface embrace the plant, the expanse of stones beneath acts as an unbeatable natural drainage system. Even during the heaviest rains, water never stagnates. The roots remain oxygenated and healthy, a vital condition for obtaining high-quality grapes.

• The Challenge for the Roots: In their early years, the young vines explore the upper layer, benefiting from the soil's lightness and the biological support of our Effective Microorganism (EM) treatments. However, the long-term goal is to encourage them to "dive" deeper. When the roots reach that bed of river stones, they will begin to extract a unique mineral complexity, giving the wine a sapidity and structure that only alluvial soil can offer.

• The Underground Thermal Flywheel: These buried stones help regulate the temperature of the subsoil, protecting the root system from thermal extremes and ensuring constant, balanced ripening.

Seeing those pebbles emerge alongside my father was a moment of deep reflection. It reminded us that viticulture is not just farming, but a dialogue with geology. We provide the care, the technique, and the passion, but it was the river from a thousand years ago—with its deposit of sand and stone—that decided this would be the ideal place for an elegant, fine wine, deeply rooted in its land.

Today, every glass of Moscatello degli Orti carries within it the breath of the Argentina Valley alternating with the Ligurian Sea breeze, and the strength of that hidden, ancient river