Franco Bernabei Bio

Franco Bernabei Bio
Franco was born on October 19th, 1952 in the little
Venetian spa town of Abano Terme, just southwest of
Padua. Abano Terme is well versed in the hospitality
industry and in winemaking thanks to the famous hot
springs and gorgeous Euganean Hills, “slopes clothed with
vines and olives” as far back as Petrarch’s days.
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The Bernabeis, in fact, have been hoteliers, winemakers
and importers/distributors of French and Italian wines since
the mid-1800s. Franco’s earliest professional experience is
with his father, in the family business.
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He chooses to take up agricultural science and enology in
Padua, graduating from university in 1974.
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Subsequently, he works full-time for Ruffino, collaborating
closely with Ambrogio Folonari of the historic winemaking
family. Ruffino whets his appetite for Tuscany: in 1978,
Franco moves to the Chianti appellation and strikes out on
his own, doing consultancy work for a variety of Tuscan
wineries.
Franco eventually takes the Sangiovese variety and its
terroir to new and unprecedented heights and international
recognition (one interviewer – cf. http://www.altissimoceto.
it/2008/06/17/gli-interpreti-del-vino-dott-franco-bernabeienologo/ – calls him “Mr. Sangiovese”…).
Following are just a few of the high points in his career:
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1978, Fattoria di Selvapiana in the Chianti Rufina
appellation: Bucerchiale, his 100% Sangiovese
1981, Flaccianello della Pieve from Fontodi, in
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Panzano, another Sangiovese triumph
1983, Fontalloro from Fèlsina, in Castelnuovo
Berardenga; Sangiovese again and a Neil Empson
Selection for some markets –
Three distinct terroirs and three interpretations of the
noble variety that respect the variety itself and the
respective family and winery.
1983: He starts collaborating with Neil & Maria
Empson on Monte Antico; the collaboration continues
to this day
1988: Collaboration with Le Vigne di Zamò, in Colli
Orientali del Friuli
1995-2002: Works closely with Neil & Maria Empson
on the Bollini brand
1995: Collaboration with Antichi Poderi di Jerzu in
Sardinia, focusing on the Cannonau variety
1999: Begins to consult for two wineries in Umbria –
Castello di Corbara and Castello delle Regine, the latter
belonging to a well-known Milanese lawyer, Paolo
Nodari – and one other winery in Tuscany (Chianti
Classico), Il Molino di Grace, owned and founded by
top U.S. executive Frank Grace (also a Neil Empson
Selection)
2001: Starts collaborating with Andrea Sartori, owner
of Azienda Vinicola Sartori in Verona and President of
Italy’s major wine organization, Unione Italiana Vini
2002: Veneto again; Franco begins consulting for
Professor Trabucchi, historic Amarone producer
2008: Azienda Vitanza of the Brunello appellation;
the Bertani family’s Tenuta Santa Maria alla Pieve in
Veneto (an Empson Selection for some markets); the
Maccan family’s Vigneti Le Monde in Friuli
2009: Resumes collaboration with Neil and Maria
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Empson’s brands of Bollini and Lagaria, as well as a
couple of other Trentino brands, notably Cantina Le
Meridiane and Concilio
2010: Collaboration with the Folonari Group,
Tenute Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari, wineries
in the appellations of Brunello, Chianti Classico,
Montecucco, Bolgheri; also begins consulting for
Tenute Guicciardini Strozzi, property of Prince
Girolamo Strozzi Guicciardini, on various locations:
Scansano (Morellino), San Gimignano, Bolgheri,
Massa Marittima
To this day, Bernabei consults or has consulted for top
wineries located from Tuscany to Friuli, via Marche,
Umbria, Veneto, Trentino, and as far south as Apulia,
Calabria, Sardinia and… Tunisia.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Franco Bernabei has been recognized as one of Italy’s
“star winemakers” in a long and brilliant career. He is
not, however, the sort to rest on his laurels – you only
need two minutes with this live wire of a man to realize it.
Tall, striking and classically Italian, he just exudes energy,
keenness and intelligence.
Below is a small selection of significant prizes awarded
Bernabei and his wines.
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2000: “Oscar del Vino” (‘Wine Oscar’) as best
enologist (Rome, Associazione Italiana Sommelier, the
national sommeliers’ association)
2005: “Rigoletto D’Argento” Award (Silver Rigoletto,
Mantua, Associazione Italiana Sommelier)
2006: “Mi Wine” Award at a major Milanese event,
“La Grande Milano incontra i Grandi Artisti del Vino”
(‘Milan meets Winemaking’s Great Artists’)
2006: “Bacco d’Oro all’Enologia” Award (‘Gold
Bacchus Award in Enology’, Associazione Il Bacco,
Tradate)
Flaccianello 2006, 8th place in Wine Spectator’s Top
100 World Wines (2009)
Flaccianello 2007, 8th place in Wine Spectator’s Top
100 World Wines (2010), first among European wines
CHALLENGES AND CHOICES
• Bernabei’s number one professional challenge is his
commitment to the native varieties that typify given
terroirs.
• Aside from Tuscany and its Sangiovese, which first
made his reputation, Bernabei strives to accept a
limited number of consultancies in other regions. At
present, he follows an approximate total of thirty
wineries.
ENOPROJECT
In 1993, Franco Bernabei and wife Daniela founded
Enoproject as the hub of all Franco’s activities.
In time, Enoproject has come to mean not only Franco
Bernabei but his enologist sons Marco (34) and Matteo
(29), Daniela Bernabei who coordinates the back office and
a number of wine technicians and analysts – a total staff of
ten professionals working as a team.
Enoproject consultancy work not only supplies wineries
with strictly enological and viticultural support, but also
looks after marketing, production, distribution and brand
development.
The strengths of the Bernabeis’ organization are not only in
such material aspects as the in-house wine lab and state-ofthe art technology, but in the less tangible yet all-important
qualities: passion, professionalism, tightly knit teamwork
and the highest respect for the land and its fruit.
Enoproject structure is split into four sections:
1)
Viticultural
2)
Enological
3)
Analytical
4)
Planning
Enologists:
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Franco Bernabei
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Marco Bernabei
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Matteo Bernabei
Agronomist:
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Dionisio Vizzon
Supporting Enologist:
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Renato Loss
Wine Lab:
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A staff of three wine technicians and analysts
Enoproject is also connected to university departments, the
Institute of Viticulture and Enology of Conegliano, top vine
nurseries and numerous other professionals.
Its web site is www.enoproject.it.
www.empsonusa.com