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This oasis is in the Municipality of Loazzolo, in the province of Asti.
“Forte” (as in “Forteto”) means “wood” in the local dialect, while “Luja” is the small stream that flows at the foot of the hill.

On these very hills, there is a peasant house, dating back to the XIV century: it was built in the heart of what is still considered the smallest Italian D.O.C. wine area with impressive woods. These elements create a mosaic of landscapes, with truly remarkable biodiversity protected by the WWF.

The vineyard, cultivated with traditional techniques, produces an appreciated variety of Moscato called “Loazzolo”. In the surrounding meadows, there is one of the most important patches of Ophrys sphegodes (black orchid): those specimens grow abundant in a perfect and uncontaminated environment, so much so that the meadows are never mowed until all the flowers have completely withered.

The woods are mostly made of Quercus pubescens (downy oak), Castanea sativa (chestnut), Prunus avium (cherry), Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine), and Fraxinus ornus (ash).
Among the fauna, there is a large number of amphibians, birds and insects, including stag beetles.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)