Description
The Institut Agricole Régional (IAR), founded in 1952, is one of the most important agricultural universities in Italy. Currently, the IAR is composed of a working farm, professional technical school, and research center. IAR is responsible for promoting the study and professional training of students within the agriculture sector, focusing primarily on biodynamic vine growing, wine production, as well as biodynamic fruit and dairy research and production. The focus on developing and utilizing applied research allows the university to combine theory and literal “in the field” training, achieving exceptional results within a short period of time. As discoveries are made and practices are refined vintage after vintage, new techniques can be tested across multiple varieties simultaneously yielding immediate, quantifiable results, raising benchmarks across the entire production. The university vineyards and the experimental cellar are a precious Val d’Aosta regional resource serving the formation of future young winemakers. IAR gives these students the tools needed to produce innovative and original quality wines. The results of their efforts are regarded by most experts as the best examples of indigenous high altitude varietals in all of Italy. The Institut tends multiple varieties of indigenous grapevine species that were recovered with much time and energy from old vineyards around the Valle d’Aosta. The LYRA selection includes many unique varietals such as Vuillermin, Cornalin, Fumin, and Petit Arvine to name a few. These wines are textbook versions of each varietal lovingly crafted from vine to bottle. All wines at the Institut are farmed and micro-vinified in lots of 1500-4700 bottles according to Biodynamic principles.
