Stefania was 7 when she first tasted her grandfather’s must. Her parents lately found her sleeping beside a concrete barrel in the cellar. She was smitten with winemaking from a young age.

Her grandfather Pietro was very passionate about wine and Stefania used to spend a long time with him among grapes, vineyards, and cellars, helping out with the production of wine and grappa.

Pietro was an amateur. He used to produce wine out of his vineyard in Cortona (Arezzo), by harvesting whatever his land would give him, without paying too much attention to details. However, he managed to pass down so much of his love and passion for the world of wine to Stefania, that she decided to make a living out of it and develop the amateur family-run business into a professional one.

With time, her personal taste became more sophisticated and she came to especially appreciate Merlot, Cabernet, and Syrah. That is why she decided to plant special rooted cuttings and clones in the family vineyard, alongside the traditional Sangiovese that was already there. The opportunity to do this presented itself when the Mezzettis purchased the holiday farm in Vernazzano (Perugia). Stefania gave up her University studies in Perugia, in order to devote herself full-time to this holiday farm in Umbria, which is very special as it is not only surrounded by vineyards but can also boast a soil that is rich in history and a source of inspiration for wine names.

As a matter of fact, Vernazzano is home to several archaeological artifacts. In 217 BC, during the Second Punic War that saw Hannibal fighting against Gaius Flaminius Nepos, the Battle of Trasimene took place exactly here, where we can still find remains that get the attention of the international community. To commemorate this historical event, the red wine produced in Vernazzano was named “Annibale”. On its first label, the image of a coin with Hannibal’s face on it was printed, and that was a coin that had been found in the vineyard.

Hi-Lo carries the Annibale Supertuscan.