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Reviving ancient vine traditions: Scacciadiavoli’s radical plan

One of the winners of our Climate & Nature fund, Scacciadiavoli look to their roots to revive the ancient practice of ‘married vines’ to mitigate modern-day viticultural challenges.

Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes

Scacciadiavoli in beautiful Umbria. Photo by Christ Filippi
Scacciadiavoli in beautiful Umbria. Photo by Christ Filippi

Nestled in the heart of Umbria, the Scacciadiavoli winery has been steeped in legend since its foundation in 1884. Its name, meaning ‘cast out the devils’, originates from tales of a local exorcist with remarkable powers of casting out demons by getting the possessed to drink the local wine! Today, however, the story the winery is bringing to life is far from dark or ominous. It is the revival of ancient vine traditions, a homage to heritage that goes beyond romantic notions to actively advance sustainable viticulture for the future. 

Cantina scacciadiavoli - historical vineyards with married vines
Cantina scacciadiavoli - historical vineyards with married vines

As well as transitioning their existing 40-hectare vineyard to organic viticulture, Scacciadiavoli is planting a new vineyard that revives the vite maritata cultivation method, which translates as ‘vine married to a tree’. This centuries-old practice involves replacing conventional poles with living trees, allowing grapevines to twine around their arboreal companions in a symbiotic partnership – or ‘marriage’. By forgoing artificial supports, the system not only reduces material usage but also fosters biodiversity in the vineyard.  

This ambitious plan has been made possible in part by support from The Wine Society. Scacciadiavoli was one of the winners of the Society’s Climate and Nature Program — a £60,000 fund designed to accelerate environmental innovation and promote regenerative farming practices across the wine industry. 

Tractor on a farm

A new kind of vineyard garden  

The transformation is already underway. Scacciadiavoli is currently planting their groundbreaking agricultural garden vineyard with 18 maple trees, 8 pear trees and 8 apple trees, each of which is ‘married’ to a grapevine. Around these trees, flowerbeds containing a dozen aromatic species, including lavender and melissa, are being cultivated to attract pollinators and enrich the ecosystem. 

Plants

Hedgerows along the vineyard’s perimeters further bolster biodiversity by providing an important refuge and essential habitats for birds and other vineyard fauna. These hedgerows are also being planted with a variety of flowers and fruit trees. This integration of plants, insects and wildlife creates a vibrant and interconnected ecosystem. This not only enhances the vineyard’s natural balance but also provides practical benefits, including improved pest control, healthier soil, and better water retention. 

Farmers

The benefits of the vineyard garden extend beyond biodiversity. By incorporating trees and other vegetation, Scacciadiavoli is tackling some of the challenges of rising temperatures and climate change. ‘We think that for sure there will be an impact on the microclimate, because the trees offer cooler temperatures and shade,’ explains Liù Pambuffetti at Scacciadiavoli.  

The team anticipates that these cooler, more stable conditions will benefit the vines and, ultimately, improve the quality of the wines. Although the full benefits and impact will take time to unfold. ‘In around three to four years we will have our first vintages of the wines produced from our married vines,’ adds Liù.  

By marrying ancient practices with modern ecological insights, Scacciadiavoli’s new sustainability plan is a bright reminder that often to move forward, we often need to rediscover the wisdom of the past. 

>> Discover the wines of Scacciadiavoli 

>> Read more about our Climate & Nature winners 

Amanda Barnes

Writer

Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes is an award-winning British journalist and editor who specializes in wine and travel writing. She is an expert in South American wine and regions and a regular correspondent for international wine and travel publications (including Decanter, The World of Fine Wine and Wine Enthusiast). She is currently studying to become a Master of Wine and is author of the South America Wine Guide.

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