Cavalchina: Chiaretto Bardolino DOC 2024

The family's connection to the world of wine begins with Cavalchina, a region with a long history: as early as 1848, it was registered and classified by the ruling Habsburg authorities as a wine-growing area known for its outstanding quality and excellent production consistency. Cavalchina not only has a rich wine history but also holds historical significance, as it was at the center of the First and Third Italian Wars of Independence.

More precisely, the story begins more with grandfather Luciano than with Cavalchina. He acquired the first vineyards and built the winery in 1948, which originally also included a distillery that operated only until 1967. The winery started as a hobby and passion: a side business alongside the main business of leather processing. Luciano was a versatile man: he loved wine but also opera; his passion led him to meet notable personalities like Maria Callas. His factory was one of the few in Italy producing football boots, which also led him to act as an agent for football players. The stories of Luciano, Cavalchina, and Custoza are intertwined and sometimes overlap. He first named the region's white wine "Custoza" in 1962. He created the "recipe": a blend of the grape varieties Fernanda, Trebbiano, and Garganega, and intensified wine distribution in the then-important markets of Rome and Milan.

Luciano's passion for the world of wine deepened together with his son Giulietto and led in 1958 to the acquisition of Prendina, a winery in Monzambano. Giulietto, a failed surveyor and enthusiastic radio amateur, turned his passion into a production business in the 1970s. The awarding of the DOC designation in 1971 further strengthened the family business and solidified Custoza's position among Italian quality wines. Prendina also gained importance when the first wine bottled under the name Prendina was a Merlot that became the house wine of the famous restaurant of Gualtiero Marchesi. Nevertheless, the winery remained a side activity, as Giulietto primarily used it to host guests, visitors, and representatives of the leather industry.

A new chapter began when Giulietto’s son Luciano decided to take over the winery in 1987. With him, Cavalchina evolved from a side activity to the main focus of the Piona family. Luciano was a chemical engineer, worked as a skipper, and was so passionate about sailing that he completed several Atlantic crossings. He was also a ski instructor and an enthusiastic cyclist and motorcyclist. However, when he decided to take charge of the winery, he devoted himself with full passion to Cavalchina, the land, and the wine. He pursued a path of innovation, the search for quality, and new markets, always preserving the characteristics of the family wine and strengthening the territorial identity. 

Like his grandfather, who was the first to write “Custoza” on the label, Luciano was connected to the wine of his homeland throughout his life and eventually became its ambassador as president of the Consorzio di tutela del Custoza. His goal was always to enhance and promote the wine he loved most and grew up with.

In the 1990s, his brother Franco joined him. An electrical engineer with a passion for music. He was born in the years of the Beatles, James Taylor, and Jimi Hendrix. He often listened to them on his brother’s records while using his mother’s broom as a guitar, imagining himself on stage with them. Despite his dream of America and music, his passion for wine, which he developed during his studies, kept him at home, close to the wine world he knew so well. The desire to discover new areas and face new challenges led to a brand-new adventure: Valpolicella. The Piona family acquired Torre d’Orti, a winery on the hill overlooking the village of Marcellise. This land, favored by its altitude, produces grapes that are perfect for elegant wines and aging.