Renato and Milva grew up working in Barbaresco’s vines. From the age of seven, they were expected to do two jobs: school and grapes. The schooling went well, but the vineyards went deep, and both... Read More

Renato and Milva grew up working in Barbaresco’s vines. From the age of seven, they were expected to do two jobs: school and grapes. The schooling went well, but the vineyards went deep, and both Renato and Milva ended up with the soils of Barbaresco “in their veins.”

So, although Milva became an architect (practicing in Venice, of all magical places) she and Renato dreamed of settling back in Barbaresco to make wine. Their families wouldn’t talk to them at first, they were so upset at the hard and risky path they were choosing.

But in 1993 they found some land and, with the help of friends like Bruno Giacosa (who taught them to make wine with only the very minimal equipment they could afford), they began building their dream. They had babies they raised among the vines. Full circle.

They knew they couldn’t use fungicides or pesticides: they didn’t want their children exposed to poison. That choice has costs: it means more manual labor in the vines, for example. Early on, they lost entire vintages when disease pressure was too high. But they did it their way and now their vines are robust, they've built up resistance. The roots go deep and their fruit is beautiful, concentrated and expressive.