Ronco Calino

Before 1996: the Michelangeli home

The house on the hill above the valley was the home of the pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, a musician from Brescia who valued his privacy. The beauty of the area made such an impression on him that he chose it as his retreat.

1996: Paolo Radici arrives

In 1996 the property welcomed Paolo Radici, an industrialist from Bergamo. He wanted a home away from busy roads but still close to his work, and he was captivated by the property. The hill was surrounded by a large vineyard, which recalled a dream from his youth: to make wine for himself and his friends.

1999: the winery

In 1999 Radici began building a winery at the foot of the hill. He chose a simple, linear design in pale brick, so that the building blends into the vines.

2002: Lara Imberti Radici

His wife, Lara Imberti Radici, joined the Ronco Calino project in 2002. She became the brand's first ambassador and the creative spirit behind many of its ideas.

2016: organic certification

The 10 hectares of vineyards have been certified organic since the 2016 harvest.

The estate lies in Franciacorta, on a hill overlooking the valley, with a large vineyard around it. The valley has a highly varied geological makeup. A zoning study by the SATA agronomy team, including a physiological and chemical study of the soils and sensory analysis, identified six crus.

The vineyards have been certified organic since the 2016 harvest. Each plot is treated as its own microzone, and the agronomists focus on understanding its character and meeting its individual needs. The vineyard work calendar therefore changes every year for every plot. The agronomist is Pierluigi Donna.

The winery stands at the foot of the hill. Building began in 1999, and the cellar has a simple, linear design in pale brick that blends into the vines. Winemaker Leonardo Valenti works with the Ronco Calino team.

The winery describes Ronco Calino as a peaceful retreat where time seems to slow down. It states that careful attention and patience are central to making wines with authentic, complex, vibrant personalities that reflect the place. Paolo Radici's youthful dream was to make wine for himself and his friends, and the winery describes his circle of friends as having grown into a community of wine lovers.