Rosso has recently been focusing on building Brave Wines by investing in two incredible wineries: Benanti, one of Sicily’s finest vineyards on the Etna mountain range, and Giosetta Saffiglio in Piedmont, which produces some of Italy’s finest Barolo and Nebbiolo wines in Monforte d’Alba.
Dating back to the 19th centuryNumber Founded in the 19th century by Giosetta Safillio and now run by fifth-generation successor Sara Bezza, Benanti has vineyards on four sides of Mount Etna – Randazzo, Castiglione di Sicilia, Milo, Viagrande and Santa Maria di Licodia – and produces 250,000 bottles of market-exclusive wine per year.
“The aim is to reach great regions in Italy and around the world,” says Rosso. He doesn’t intend to stop there and is already looking at other wineries for a “portfolio that is internationally representative of the richness and quality of the sector.” After Italy, he has his sights set on France, Oregon, which he claims produces “the coolest Pinot Noir,” and California’s Napa Valley, and he admits to being a “New Zealand fanatic.”
“It’s about protecting their individuality and allowing them to shine,” says Arianna Alessi, Brave Wine’s CEO and Mr. Rosso’s wife.
The wineries it has acquired so far have been financially stable; in fact, Rosso describes Benanti as the “Rolls Royce of the wine world.”
“We’re looking for the most authentic wineries in the region,” he adds. “We want to show what a beautiful country Italy is,” and, Alessi says, “this is how we can prove we can make a group.”
She highlighted her interest in Giosetta Safilio, calling it “a fascinating story of five generations of women, rare in the Langhe region.”
Rosso and Alessi have their own cellar with more than 8,000 bottles of wine, and say they “don’t just collect them, we want to enjoy them.”
Rosso is self-taught, reading all about wine, taking photos of restaurant wine lists and intrigued by new labels, but he recalls that his father produced wine and grappa, so his wine knowledge began at a young age. His favorites range from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Puligny-Montrachet Romanée-Conti, one of the most expensive wines in the world.
Just as he has built OTB, Rosso is adamant that he wants to develop Brave Wine in his own way: “I want to promote Italian wine by pairing it with the best Italian regions and wines. Italian wine has great qualities that haven’t been highlighted enough and should be appreciated more. The French have done it, just like with fashion. We Italians haven’t been able to work together so far,” Rosso says.
The idea is to create Brave Wine on the model of OTB, working with individual wineries but as a group providing them with synergies, logistics, shipping, commercial and financial assistance, technology and everything else that will help them further develop.
Rosso sees wine craftsmanship in the same way that an atelier makes couture or a tailor makes a suit: “We pick grapes according to the ripeness of the seeds and their exposure to the sun, and we think we can sell them in different barrels. [barrels] “I could offer wine to different chefs, each of them preparing their own blend, and even get involved in the winemaking and personalize it. It’s a long-term project, but it’s something I want to achieve.”
Brave Wine’s winemaker Umberto Marchiori says his goal is also to help modernize the winery, as Rosso can bring “different perspectives and positive interactions” to this world, as well as his expertise on other “success stories.” As he explains, “In Italy, it’s always been very slow, piecemeal and conservative, and until the end of the 1800s, very little Italian wine was exported. Renzo’s added value is that he sees things as they are.”
Just as experiential events have become key in fashion, Rosso believes “there is a need to create entertainment. Wineries and wine cellars are becoming more and more beautifully designed and worth visiting.”
Diesel Farm is a peaceful haven, open to the public for walks through the woods; deer, goats and ponies dot the pastures. He proudly says he’s found salamanders in the garden outside: “It’s not pretty, but it’s proof that the area isn’t polluted.”
Today, the farm produces around 25,000 bottles of wine and 3,200 liters of oil per year, combining traditional farming methods with innovative techniques such as floral green manure and dry farming. As part of its mission to increase biodiversity, Diesel Farm cultivates a large number of nectar-producing plants to protect endangered honeybees.
Rosso firmly believes in caring for and protecting the area: “There’s a lot of talk about sustainability, carbon neutrality, reforestation, etc. I saved a hill from speculative urban planning that was going to be subdivided and turned into a housing estate. Now it’s all parkland. This is true sustainability.”
Diesel Farm is also a place of well-kept secrets: when John Galliano was to take the helm of Maison Margiela in 2014, he says he negotiated his deal here for two years, unopposed.
Located at an elevation of 980 feet, the farm encompasses 250 acres.
“We’re at the crossroads of winds that are favourable for growing unique, high-quality crops. The winds that come in from the Adriatic Sea and those that blow down from the Prealps create a special microclimate,” says Rosso. “We’re 55km from the sea and 55km from the mountains. Diesel Farm is spread across five hills, and five is a magic number for me, because it always brings me good luck.”
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