A Long 
Tale

History

Antica Fattoria La Parrina:

time passes,but what's real remains


History: Two Centuries, or Twenty

Here, people have always worked the land.  Positioned on one of the walls at La Parrina are three fragments, unearthed at an old archaeological dig, of an ancient Roman farmhouse in the Maremma, like the ones dotted across the local landscape to harness the land's fruitfulness. But the real story of the Antica Fattoria La Parrina begins in the mid-19th century, when the aristocratic banker Michele Giuntini bought the first part of the ancient Tuscan farmhouse. The harvests were plentiful and the land bountiful, and in the decades that followed the current proportions and variety of the farm in the Maremma began to take shape. 

To ensure the farm ran smoothly, the metayage ("mezzadria" in Italian) contract system was used, a kind of long-term rental for the farmer ("mezzadro") who shared in the profits and costs. When mechanised agriculture began to catch on at the end of the 1800s, and with the help of significant investment, diversification and land reclamation, the farm grew considerably: there were as many as 460 workers at La Parrina at that time. After the grave setback of the Second World War, The Antica Fattoria La Parrina began reclaiming its former identity, becoming the only farm in the Maremma that managed to preserve its original vocation for excellence, while assimilating the demands of the modern world at the same time.


Holding things, but not holding them back

The heart and soul of La Parrina lies in the adjective "Antica" – “Ancient” – in its name. But why?

The best way to understand this is to get a bird’s eye view of as much of the Tuscan farming estate as you can. The untrained eye will see a green landscape shaped by man's hand: soothing and more or less "picturesque" depending on the time of day and the angle of the sun.

But the trained eye will pick out the land suitable for this or that crop, the land left to pasture, the land at rest, the areas left for woodland, the rows of trees destined to become firewood... The “Ancient” concept of the ancient Roman farming villa that continued through Medieval times is precisely that of grouping together different vocations into a single “hub”, being able to recognise and capitalise on them in a harmonious way, to ensure that the precious fruits of each one can be offered to all. Entire families of farmers and farmhands have worked here for generations. The history of the Antica Fattoria La Parrina is founded on sustained agricultural work that offers unique produce and experiences, characterised by nature and their surroundings.

An ancient - or surprisingly modern - concept?

Franca Spinola's Philosophy

For several years now the fortunes of La Parrina have been in Franca Spinola’s hands, whose philosophy can be summed up as follows: nature always knows best. Every single plot of land already knows the best thing it can grow. Man’s task is to understand what that is, to assist it in its specific vocation with the help of science and technology, and to harvest its excellent produce, before serving it at the table safe in the knowledge that what has brought it there is respect for the values of its origins. For many, this harmonious process has fallen by the wayside, but many want to return to it.

So why not give everyone the chance to experience first-hand, in step with the seasons, the unique experience of the Antica Fattoria La Parrina? Not just the experience of its produce, but also of its day-to-day work, its rhythms, its nature. In short, its life.