“Rubini” Farm – Spessa di Cividale del Friuli

Azienda Agricola Rubini

“Rubini” Farm – Spessa di Cividale del Friuli

(Updated at Dec/2005)

Rubini is a beautiful family, open-minded entrepreneurs who are rightly included in Friuli’s social context, represented by “the enchanting hill site in the heart of the DOC “Friuli’s Oriental hills”. They are experts in the art of wine-making since 1814, so much that over time they managed to “reap the fruits” of 70 hectares of land, of which 60 ha of vineyard and 5 ha of olive grove, managing to make 400.00 bottles of good wine per year.

We have also learned that in recent years it is possible to sojourn in some farmhouses of the estate, that are adjacent to the villa. They have been suitably renovated and have helped make the name of the holiday farm.
The merit for all of this must go to Dr. Leone Rubini, to his wife Mrs. Rosa and to his daughters Diletta and Vittoria, and how can we fail to mention Dimitri Pintar, the enologist who is responsible for the production and who will guide us to the discovery of the how and why?
Follow us.

‘Our company started employing the pneumatic mist blower “Martignani-KWH”- “Turbo 3” in June 2004.
Treatments were performed at low volumes, using 150 lt./ha, plus a 10% reduction of the systemic product dose, and a 20% reduction of the cytotropic products. The insecticide dose has not been reduced, since these treatments are mandatory and regulated by the regional laws (measures for the prevention of flavescence dorée). Despite the reduction of the dose there was no onset of pathologies.
The main advantages, besides the economic saving in terms of pesticides, is the considerable saving in manpower. In a day of treatments, fewer refills are carried out, in this case, 1 every 10 hectares (1500 l mist blower), instead of 1 every 6 hectares (2000 l atomizer). The usage of water lessens, therefore there are further savings and less waste of this natural resource.

Besides, we have achieved greater accuracy in the machine’s calibration, with a precise product distribution per unit area. This has allowed us, in cases of treatments aimed at partial areas (i.e. foliar fertilizer to solve micronutrients deficiencies on single varieties) to use the correct dosage. In fact, using the theoretical 150 lt./ha have proven with a minimum margin of error in field use.

The jets’ directionality is precise and homogeneous during the whole treatment, while with pressure nozzles there is often a total or partial clogging, resulting in the displacement of the jet angle or the lack of it from one or more nozzles with a consequent lesser product distribution (difficult to detect on small surfaces), which leaves a part of the vegetative surface uncovered. This forces the operators to constantly monitor and maintain their work.

With the “KWH” system the product drift is practically null, even with wind. The possibility to direct the jets, in the pre-harvest phase, allows to treat the vegetative terminals, considerably reducing the vine’s risk of being affected by the derived products.

The distribution of product on the plant is perfectly homogeneous; there is no part of the vegetative surface where a lesser or greater dampness can be observed. The plants do not drip after the treatments and there are no areas of product accumulation on the leaves, preventing burns due to the “magnifying-glass effect” (sun + water droplet) or phytotoxicity.

An additional advantage lies in the fact that the treatment is not disturbed by a modest wet foliage.
The 150 lt./ha treatment was carried out over morning dew, with no modification of the product dose. On two occasions we carried out treatments over wet foliage on the young vines (in September), immediately after the rain or during a light rain, reducing the trickling to 70 lt./ha, not prejudicing the active principle dose per ha. We did not repeat the treatments upon better weather conditions, but only the scheduled ones. There were no onsets of disease.’

Azienda Agricola Rubini

Enot. Dimitri Pintar

… in the beginning, we were talking of souls’ thirst, now we really think the thirst is another and we can assert with no doubt that we will not hesitate to quench it.
Until next time.

Antonio Fimiani
Luca Bellettini

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