Andrea had a dream when he was six - we are driven by creating quality
"It´s a family passion we´ve inherited through generations", says Emanuela Lacqua, with her brother Andrea.
He was six years old when he had his plan set. He was going to be a wine producer. "It´s been the dream since i was six. What drives me is the pursuit of quality. We work 9 hours in the cellar and 4 hours in the
field almost every day to ensure the highest quality," says Andrea Lacqua. Except on Sundays.
"Then it´s very important to stop working and take it easy. Otherwise you burn out," says Emanuela.
Vision: to grow tourism to Nizza
Behind good achievements there is always a good team. There´s little you can accomplish alone, and that´s true for us too. Meet Andrea and Emanuela Lacqua, the producers behind our wines.
Facts about Andrea and Emmanuel
Role: Third generation at the family winery Cantina Sant´Evasio in Nizza#E5C868 Monferrato, Piedmont.
Relation: Produces Verdevios` Barbera d`Asti, Barbera Superiore, and Nizza DOCG
Established: The family bought the Sant`Evasio property in 1965. Andrea and Emanuela are continuing the busines
s their grandfather started and their father developed.
Andrea: Winemaker with six years of education in oenology from the University og Alba. Responsible for the vineyards and the entire wine production - from grape to finished bottle.
Emanuela: Responsible for administration, customer contact, wine tastings, visitors, and the devolopment of wine tourism at the winery.
Production: Family-owned quality producer focused primarily on Barbera d`Asti, Barbera Superiore and Nizza DOCG. About 80 percent of the wines are exportet abroad.
Philosophy: High quality over lagre volume, natural fermentation, and minimal intervention in the winemaking process.
"It´s a family passion," says Andrea Lacqua
It was in 1965 that their grandfather bought the Sant´Evasio property in the town of Nizza Monferrato. Through extensive trading with locals, the business grew. Andrea´s father took over and increased export abroad. Now Andrea, together with his sister Emanuela, exports wine to England, USA, Japan and even Ghana, while focusing in private quality customers over quantity. Together the siblings share a common vision.
"Our grandfather loved this land and grew both wine and food. For us, it´s not just about making quality wine, but about increasing the value and tourism of our hometown," says Emanuela.
Tradition is indeed at the very core of what matters to the siblings.
"We´re primarily focused on making quality. Our grandfather always put quality before quantity. So the tradition from the past is very important. The processes are much the same, while we also try methods with new machines that make things easier. But producing natural and authentic wine is at the core of our philosophy", says Emanuela.
The difference between Barbera, Superiore, and Nizza
She´s very keen on communicating the differences between the grapes, and that people learn what´s the characteristic of each grape.
"Barbera is the family grape. It works with every meal and if you´re relaxing in front of the TV. Piedmont has previously been known for the Nebbiolo grape, but we´re now seeing increasing sales of Barbera throughout the region", she explains.
As a producer for VerdeVios, they make three of our wines. According to Emanuela, the differences are as follows:
Barbara d´Asti
The first wine.
Bottled just a few months after harvest
"the real grape and the real taste of Barbera"
Barbera Superiore
Same grape quality, but aged for one year in lagre barrels.
this makes the wine:
rounder
fuller
softer
Nizza DOCG
The most exclusive wine and the most expensive.
Differences:
Lower yield in the vineyard
special soil
can only be made from specific vineyards
longer aging
Aging:
18 - 24 months in barrique
minimum 30 months total maturation
she describes the taste as.
rounder
more balanced
greater concentration
riper fruit
"Nizza is a big investment."
Doing it his own way
Love for wine and quality drove Andrea to dedicate six years of his life to oenology studies at the University of Alba. A long family legacy combined with a gret deal og experience and theory has given him a foundation as a wine producer that few others have.
"We are completely dependent on the quality of the grapes and work day in and day out to ensure a high standard. We don´t copy others. We do it our own way," he says.
