Gennaro Manna, in search of natural products that he could hardly find on the market, decided, in 2010, to cultivate the family's land, located in the municipality of Forio, giving vent to his passion for agriculture.
With dynamism he dedicates himself exclusively to this activity and constantly expands the cultivated areas so that the harvest, from personal use and consumption is sold both door to door and at the municipal market, obtaining excellent feedback from a clientele increasingly attentive to product quality. Furthermore, convinced that the production of wine without the use of chemicals was almost impossible, he uproots a small family vineyard dedicating it completely to the production of vegetables.
Since 2015 Gennaro can rely on his sister Anna who, after a degree in economics and various work experiences, chooses a life in contact with nature.
In 2016 the Manna brothers become part of the Ischiabio Agricultural Company, owner of the Tenuta Del Cannavale (Barano d'Ischia) in which there is also a young vineyard of 5300 square meters.
This is the opportunity for Gennaro and Anna to set up a new experience of natural agriculture: no longer exclusively in the fruit and vegetable field, but now also in the wine sector.
Always respectful of nature and biodiversity, the turning point comes after following a course at Carlo Noro's company on biodynamic agriculture and the use of preparations. Thus began the collaboration with the oenologist Michele Lorenzetti, who guided them in this first experience from which the INSULA FELIX wine was born.
The vinification is natural: without the use of chemicals in the vineyard and in the cellar; without the addition of yeasts, enzymes, sugars, sulphites, aromas and everything that can alter the natural process of vinification of the must obtained by pressing alone. The must is fermented in the cave-cellar, in terracotta amphorae from Georgia, the so-called Qvevri *. INSULA FELIX is a wine that reflects 100% the raw material: the grapes are grown with passion and dedication for a whole year, in a company at over 300 meters above sea level, with no driveway, surrounded by chestnut woods, in one of the few places on the island of Iscihia that is still completely unspoiled and out of towns.
* On 4 December 2013, UNESCO recognized the traditional Georgian method of vinification in amphorae, Qvevri, as an intangible heritage of humanity. The Agricultural Company ISCHIABIO srl has over 3 hectares, including vineyards, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, olive trees and chestnut woods and applies in its production processes the best environmental practices for the protection of natural resources and strict criteria for animal welfare; is subjected to control and certification by the company CCPB s.r.l., in compliance with EU regulations and national provisions on organic production.
Since 2018 the company is registered in the Campania region register of Educational Farms and collaborates with the schools of the island of Ischia to ensure that the new generations can understand more and more the importance of respecting nature, biodiversity and own territory.