Fulfilling a dream
Cultures from far and near meet at Tenuta Mazzolino. Its name in Latin (mansiolinum) does in fact mean meeting-place, staging post. The grapevine has flourished here for three thousand years. Today, ancient traditions are accompanied by modern technology, but the taste of Mazzolino wine, which delights the palates of renowned experts and discerning wine lovers, is not merely the result of the right alcohol strength, the quality of the grapes or excellent cellar-work. The true essence which nurtures the roots of Pinot Nero, Chardonnay, Bonarda and Cabernet Sauvignon is the unbounded passion of those who cultivate this fertile soil.
In 1980, Enrico Braggiotti was looking for a place where his family of five families could live together, where he could enjoy the company of his four children and 12 grandchildren. He wanted a piece of land where his family, of Turkish and French origins, could put down their Italian roots, a land where he could sow the seeds of a passion fostered through the years: his love for fine wine. He hoped his appreciation of good wine would be shared by his family; Sandra, his daughter, fulfilled his dream, bringing her spontaneous enthusiasm and keen business sense. From the hill of Corvino the panorama stretches from the Alps to the Apennines and there’s a magnificent view of Pavia. This was to be the place where they could achieve their goals. Along a road travelled by the Ancient Romans, Sandra started down a path that would bring new, splendid life to the estate. Each family made their home in the tiny village formed of five buildings, a lodge and a little church, set amidst fields and vineyards. Having established a sound base, and with respect for the character Marchese Alfonso Corti had given the area, Sandra began to develop the estate. Over the years, the estate was almost completely replanted. Corvino San Quirico, generous in its welcome, was transformed into a little fairytale world: fine wine, orchards, hens, horses, rose gardens and a bountiful land rich in life and beauty. The superior products which grow here are simply the natural consequence of a place loved and cared for by its new owners. “Exciting confirmation”, “a breath of fresh air” “elegance and character” are terms used by oenologists and critics to describe the estate’s wines, |
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but they can be equally applied to the spirit of the land and the people who live on it. Situated close to the 45th parallel, Mazzolino’s twenty hectares are the cradle of a culture which enriches the character of this region, which was once part of old Piedmont, giving it back its ancient ties with France where the Braggiotti family has strong roots.
“We still speak French in the family,” says Sandra, whose mother grew up in Paris, “and as soon as we saw these vineyards, which only produced a modest wine at the time, my father decided that we’d make a great wine here”. According to an article in the Provincia Pavese, “Burgundy is also in Corvino” and that’s not just by chance. Kyriakos Kynigopoulos, the supreme expert on Pinot Noir, was called to Corvino San Quirico four years ago to unite his talent with an ideally suitable land. A magnificent Noir and a remarkable Blanc were produced under the guidance of this great oenologist assisted by Jean-François Coquard, who graduated from the University of Burgundy. Giacomo Bologna, a timeless legend and a great wine expert, had the brainwave which engendered Mazzolino’s success. Pinot Nero was used to make white wine in this region. “You should make a red wine with it” was Bologna’s advice, and to help this new adventure on its way he recommended an oenologist from Piedmont, Giancarlo Scaglione. Twenty years have passed since that historic meeting; under the guidance of the maître de chai Coquard and the agronomist Roberto Piaggi, Pinot Noir has earned itself a space in the world’s finest wine cellars in addition to international awards, excellent reviews and a place in the leading wine guides. Thanks to a new 1000 square-metre cellar designed by the architect Berni - an addition to the original, ancient cellar - Mazzolino opens up its horizons, aiming at producing 120,000 bottles by 2006. |
MAP OF THE ESTATE |
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