The Vermouth we wanted based on Nebbiolo

More than 30 years before the project, eight-year-old Sara Vezza spent summer weeks with her maternal grandmother Maria at Podio, between Bene Vagienna and Monforte. After the compulsory afternoon rest, Maria prepared “La Birra del Podio” from ice, soda and Vermouth, serving it in engraved whisky glasses. Sara remembered its sweetness, freshness and wormwood bitterness.

Vermouth later went out of fashion for her, until a gifted bottle revived the memory of Maria and the house at Podio. Sara involved the winery team in creating a version that would be unconventional, not overly commercial and based on Nebbiolo. Selecting the right partners took two years; production was developed with The Spiritual Machine and Distilleria Magnoberta. Sara received the first bottle bearing her label in August 2021.

She then collaborated with her longtime friend Rita Barbero, known as Purple Rita, an artist who paints with wine. They created a limited edition of 49 bottles: 8 represented Sara’s age at her first sip and 41 the years leading to her first produced bottle. The collectible concept was planned to return annually with a different label, continuing the story of the elegant country teacher, her granddaughter and the woman she became.