Amid the constant journeying from one farm to another, it’s rare to feel overwhelmed by the strength of the past and a deep sense of belonging. However, Brandino Brandolini D’Adda and Alec Ongaro, the owner and winemaker at Vistorta, clearly express a vision for winemaking that reveals how they envision the future, closely connected to their heritage. At Villa Brandolini D’Adda, every space—whether it’s the charming park, the barchessa, the stables, the granary, or any other nook—breathes the history of the Brandolini family and the memories of what was once the community of the Vistorta village.
We are in the Friulian countryside on the border with Veneto, a place that, not so long ago, thrived with bustling and industrious people. It was rural Italy, where the passage of time and seasons was marked by fieldwork and religious festivals. The heart of this agricultural life was the Brandolini family estate, which was home to Venetian patricians, as well as men-at-arms and mercenary captains who served the Serenissima Since the 1400s, they have lived between Venice and these lands. History is cyclical. After rapid industrialization led to depopulation in neighboring provinces, the village of Vistorta began to repopulate with the dawn of the new millennium and a renewed focus on sustainable development.Today, twenty-five new families have renewed their bond with the rural community.
The History of Tenuta di Vistorta
It was Guido Brandolini, in 1872, who, following his passion for agriculture, founded the Tenuta di Vistorta. At that time, alongside traditional cereal crops and silkworm farming typical of Veneto, he also began cultivating vines. After the devastation caused by phylloxera, Guido decided to focus exclusively on certain varietals, primarily the Merlot grape. This marked the beginning of the great story of Vistorta Merlot, which, starting from the second half of the 1980s, was consolidated and spread worldwide thanks to the project led by Brandino Brandolini.
Brandino’s parents, Brando Brandolini and his wife Cristiana, restored the estate to its current splendor in the 1950s and ’60s. The scenographer Renzo Mongiardino oversaw the villa’s renovation, and the famous landscape architect Russell Page designed the garden, following the tradition of 19th-century English gardens. Today, it stands as one of the most important Italian gardens.
The extent of the Vistorta estate
The 220-hectare estate is located in a flat area near the foothills of the Friulian Prealps. The vineyard covers an area of approximately 40 hectares and is surrounded by woodlands and hedgerows, which help maintain biodiversity and mitigate summer temperatures by creating corridors of fresh air.
The 140 hectares of arable land are cultivated with crops like wheat, barley, sunflower, soybeans, and alfalfa in rotation. All crops follow the principles of regenerative organic agriculture. Wine, however, is Brandino’s domain. After graduating in Agriculture from Texas A&M University, he gained experience in Bordeaux. There, he worked at Château Greysac with the young oenologist Philippe Dambrine. His experience in Bordeaux fueled his desire to create a great red wine at Vistorta. The clay-limestone soils proved particularly suited for red grape varieties, especially Merlot.
In 1979, Brandino returned to the Friulian village and took over the management of the estate. He planted new Merlot vines alongside the older ones. With renewed enthusiasm, he began vinifying in the Barchessa cellar of Cordignano. He collaborated with Georges Pauli, a renowned oenologist from Domaine Cordier, and the young Alec Ongaro. In 1996, the Vistorta Merlot was first unveiled at the Four Seasons in New York.
Wines
Merlot Vistorta
The first vintage of Merlot Vistorta was 1989. For a decade, the blend consisted of 90% Merlot and the remaining 10% Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz. Since the year 2000, they have vinified 100% Merlot, and since 2008, we have operated the winery fully organically.
Traditionally, the vinification of Vistorta takes place separately by parcel in concrete vats with spontaneous fermentation. After 30 days of post-fermentation maceration, the wine matures in French oak barriques (40% new wood) for 18 months. Since 2013, some batches vinified naturally have been included in the final blend, with this quantity increasing each year. The wine is finally bottled without filtration.
I tasted the 2012 vintage. It has aromas of red fruit with subtle notes of fruit preserved in alcohol. There are hints of coffee, spices, and chocolate. On the palate, it is enveloping, with velvety tannins and an exceptionally long finish. This is a great Italian Merlot that stands the test of time.
Bianca & Brando, the Rosé Pinot Grigio and the Treanni
Alec Ongaro, who has been working alongside Brandino in the winery since 1994 for winemaking, is a great experimenter. His philosophy involves minimal intervention, both in the vineyard and in the winery, using minimal sulfur dioxide and traditional methods: skin contact maceration, manual punch-downs, and spontaneous fermentations in open vats. Through continuous trials, reflections, and experiments, Bianca and Brando have been created.
Bianca
100% Tocai Friulano. After manual harvesting, the wine undergoes alcoholic fermentation simultaneously in open-air barriques with manual punchdowns and in ceramic amphorae (300 liters), where maceration on the skins and seeds continues for over 200 days. The barriques are emptied in pairs and the wine continues to age in individual barriques with its own lees, without racking, until blending. The ceramic-aged portion, after racking and pressing, continues aging for one year in amphorae and another year in French oak barrels (5 liters). I tasted the 2017 vintage. The nose reveals notes of wildflowers and honey, while the palate is broad and dynamic. The concept of this wine directly transports me to Oslavia, one of the few places where maceration truly makes sense.
Brando
100% Merlot. After manual harvest, alcoholic fermentation takes place simultaneously in open-barrel vats with manual punch-downs and in ceramic amphorae (300 liters), where maceration, in contact with the skins and seeds, is extended for 180 days. The barrels are drained in pairs and continue aging in single barrels with their own lees, without racking, until blending. The product in ceramic continues its aging for one year in the amphora and for a period longer than one year in French oak barrels (225 liters) after racking and pressing. For Brando, the vintage tasted was 2017. The nose immediately reveals a beautiful complexity: red fruit, balsamic notes, and a hint of spice. On the palate, it is elegant and expressive.
Don’t overlook the Pinot Grigio 2022, with its natural copper hue. It offers delightful dynamism and great drinkability. The Treanni, a blend of three different vintages of Refosco, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, also stands out. This wine combines freshness with complexity and elegance, making it a true delight. This wine masterfully combines freshness with complexity and elegance, truly a wonderful surprise.
Before being an estate, Vistorta was a community. Once, there were schools, workshops, a church, the “panevìn” in January, and the “via crucis” at Easter. There was pride in work, trust in traditions, and the joy of togetherness—values that still resonate today within the walls of an intact and vibrant village, which continues to generate new stories.
Brandino Brandolini D’Adda