Giol
Nestled in San Polo di Piave in the Veneto region of northern Italy just north of Treviso, the Giol estate has produced quality wine since 1427, making it the oldest winery in Italy. The settlement, which dates back to Roman times, includes a winery, extensive woodlands, 25ha of organically farmed vineyards, and a castle that was rebuilt in 1850 by the Papadopoli Counts. In 1919, the Giol family became owners of the estate when Giovanni Giol returned to his native Italy after WWI and purchased the complex from the Papadopoli family. Today, the winery is owned and run by the innovative fourth-generation winemaker, Vittorio Carraro. In the 1980s, Vittorio began experimenting with organic viticulture, and the estate was fully certified in 1987. Vittorio believes passionately that science and technology can help produce the very best wine naturally, and he works to encourage biodiversity and a natural ecosystem in the vineyards. In 2006, the winery began reducing the sulfites added to their wine and even experimented with making some wines with no added sulfites. Vittorio prides himself on producing fresh, vibrant, and immediately enjoyable wines that are honest, estate-grown, and made with great respect for the environment and the people who work the land.
