Tenuta Grimani
Veneto · Italy
About the Winery
Their historic vineyards lie in the Soave DOC, on rare volcanic soil that only a handful of producers in the appellation can claim. Their style is clear: traditional, yet fresh and unpretentious. These are sociable wines, bursting with joy and at home on any occasion. As winemaker Laura puts it: “Wine is a party. Open a bottle of Soave and let’s get started.”
A winery that carries Venetian tradition forward while pushing ahead with sustainable techniques: all of the vineyards they manage will soon be certified organic, a promise of a bright future for both their wine business and the local environment. The wines they make and love follow the region’s heritage, above all dry whites such as Soave and Pinot Grigio, made to be enjoyed with good food and good company.
“Wine is made by history.” — il frutto presente di un prestigioso passatoLaura Cavaggioni
Interview
WinemakerLaura Cavaggioni
Tell us about the winery, and about yourself.
We are the third generation of winemakers. My grandfather Pietro Dal Cero founded the estate in the 1930s. In the 1980s my father ran it, focusing on shipping wine at scale. Then in the early 2000s my brother Alessandro and I both left our previous careers to take over the family business, returning to our roots and the family tradition.
Around that time we decided to change our style of production and create our own wine brand. The 2006 Farinaldo Soave was our first bottling. Today just four of us run the winery, and we look after our vines, which are like family to us, with great affection. Alessandro leads the winemaking, while I mainly manage the business.
How do you enjoy wine in your daily life?
“Il vino è festa” — for me, wine is something to enjoy, a happy celebration with family and friends. I always look forward to seeing my grandfather: whenever we share lunch or dinner with him, there is a two-litre bottle of wine on the table.
Tell us about your region, and how its geography shapes your wines.
Our winery is in the Roncà area, the westernmost part of the Soave appellation. Compared with the rest of Soave DOC it has a different geological origin: we are surrounded by three long-extinct volcanoes. The black basaltic soil gives our wines a crisp minerality.
How do the region’s history and culture influence your way of life and your winemaking?
The winery sits close to Valpolicella, the home of Venetian red wine. In our area, though, wine means white wine. We drink white on every occasion, even with dishes that are usually said to call for red. Born into a winemaking family and working every day with gratitude, I feel truly lucky and honoured.
What is your favourite winemaking memory?
My best memories are from childhood. At the peak of the harvest my brother and I helped our parents. We were too young for the skilled work, so we mostly helped press the grapes and carry the pomace to the big vat in the back yard.
In Veneto, pomace is used to make grappa. Because the nights are warm, the stored pomace ferments and releases alcoholic vapours into the air. Our family dog used to sniff them and get tipsy. A funny, happy memory.
Tell us about the future of sustainable winemaking.
We are working on many fronts, in both the vineyard and the cellar, to make our wines sustainable and natural. In 2021, 80% of our vineyards reached zero pesticide residue (no pesticides remaining on the harvest), and although we have not yet obtained Italian certification, everything is grown organically.
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