A NOBLE ACT
Gino tells us about his move from Mexico to Tuscany, the tangibility of quality food and how he sees biodynamic farming.
What was the first thing that inspired you about the Trebbio project? And what continues to inspire you?
GINO: What always inspired me is thinking of agriculture as a noble cause - and it truly is. Every time you work the land, you're contributing to something that matters, something that can be brought home. Sowing, for me, is a noble act. Then, of course, producing something of high quality, doing things professionally, and innovating even within tradition - that continues to inspire me.
Why is quality important to you?
GINO: Quality in food is different than in other things - it’s tangible. In a food product, quality is something you can sense. It’s healthy, it does good, and it reflects the entire process behind it. A quality product is shaped by many variables: how it's grown, how it’s made, the final result. And of course, it impacts your health. These variables define whether something is truly high quality.
Let’s talk about biodynamics - how does it influence your work?
GINO: Biodynamics brings a structure, a set of practices that help us produce healthy, high-quality food. But it also brings harmony - to the land, to nature, to the animals. Not using chemicals, not contaminating - that means preserving the purity of the soil. And this purity reflects on everything: the plants, the animals, the entire ecosystem. Working this way, on living soil, changes everything. Agriculture becomes life.
You transitioned from the banking world to farming. What inspired that change?
GINO: In my case, it wasn’t about return on investment. It was a deeper shift. I used to work in banking in Mexico - even in anti-money laundering. That too felt like a noble cause, trying to fight real problems like drug trafficking. I used to wake up in the morning with the sense of doing something right. Now, with olive oil and farming, it’s the same. We’re talking about essential goods - basic human needs. And if we produce them cleanly, biodynamically, and with respect for the earth, then yes - it’s another noble cause.
In your view, what are the biggest misconceptions about olive oil?
GINO: I think the biggest one is that people take olive oil for granted. They see it as just another product. In Mexico, for example, olive oil is used very little. And even here in Italy, many people don’t really understand what quality olive oil is. They don’t connect it to health. They assume all oils are the same - same price, same impact. But it’s not true. It’s like wine: there’s a difference between good wine and boxed supermarket wine.
Why do you think that misconception exists?
GINO: Because we lack a true food culture around oil. It’s not just about information — we need education. It’s something we consume every day, yet we know so little about it. We put it into our bodies without really understanding what’s inside. That’s the biggest misconception: olive oil isn’t just a seasoning - it’s an ingredient that can genuinely impact our health.
