Buon compleanno, vigneto Calvarino

The 50th anniversary account revisited Leonildo Pieropan’s 1971 decision, made in dialogue with Luigi Veronelli, to label the wine from the family’s 1901 property with the word “vigneto.” At the time, Italian producers rarely foregrounded individual parcels on labels. Leonildo instead treated the geographical site as the basis of the wine’s identity and as an expression of the relationship among grape, environment and human work.

The name Calvarino derives from “Little Calvary,” referring to the steep slopes, difficult dark basalt and winding approach to the vineyard. Leonildo and Teresita used the wine to demonstrate the potential of Soave and helped advance recognition of individual parcels. Its style remained centred on Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave, concrete vessels and extended ageing of more than a year on fine lees.

At the time of the anniversary, Calvarino covered 8 ha and produced approximately 70,000 bottles. Andrea and Dario described it as the family wine and emphasised their continuation of Leonildo’s teachings. The anniversary was celebrated through vertical tastings in Italy, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.