Surely, the most captivating circumstance in life is when someone you love inspires you to create. Think Le Petit Trianon in Versailles, constructed for Madame du Pompadour by King Louis XV. The Portraits of Jeanne Hébuterne, a devotion of Amedeo Modigliani. ‘Something’ by George Harrison.

Imagine, instead, the austere beauty of that love if it were for your family, to create something for them and their future. After an evening with Pier Luigi Foschi of Tenute Venturini Foschi and his daughter, Jacqueline, I have witnessed this magic firsthand.

The Estate

In Medesano, near Parma, Italy, their young estate has rekindled local viticultural tradition by specialising in regional varietals.

“Our agricultural company began with 24 hectares, all organic,” explains Pier, “We chose this to respect nature; while effective for the wine, because I fell in love with the land.”

In 2016, after inheriting a plot in Medesano, situated between Fidenza and Fornovo di Taro, marking a key stop on the Via Francigena in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, a unique opportunity presented itself. Steeped in oenological history and of perfect topography, this farmland could return to its heritage.

“I retired for good reason. The move was quite obvious to me, but I felt removed from the ordinary business world. So I created this business from zero.”

For Pier and his wife, Emanuela Venturini, it has been an industrious decade. Alongside the restoration of a historical farm building, the Germino, the first plot of vines, named Fonio, covered just three hectares. Reserved for Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, as an ancient Greek varietal, it thrives in the conditions specific to the area.

“I did not come from a wine or agricultural business, and I was not born in that area of Italy,” shares Pier. “I spent about 15 years working abroad in cities such as Paris, New York, Hong Kong, and Singapore. This is totally different from my world; I'm a corporate man; I never expected to develop such a passion for what I'm doing now.”

The Vineyards

The search for further land led to the acquisition of the Ca’ Fontani farm, offering a further 14 hectares suited to Pinot noir and Chardonnay (for the production of a classic method sparkling wine) and the opportunity to found the Villa Fontana di Varano dei Marchesi agricultural company, a home for their production, which was completed in 2024. Again rich in its heritage, the land boasts centuries-old parkland and an 18th-century villa.

Their Ema estate offers 10 hectares planted with both indigenous red grapes, such as Barbera, and international varieties like Cabernet Franc, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in the cooler, shadier areas offered specifically by this site.

Speaking always of his family first, the vines, an extension of the family, second, Pier guides us through the enterprise.

“As well as our family (we have six children), we have 10 employees. Now, more or less, the whole family is helping. Our family is strongly supportive. I am extremely happy with what we have decided to do. I believe our wine can make people happy.”

White Wines

As we move through the evening, sampling each bottle in production, we hear about the processes and flavours from Federico Olivieri, their oenologist, as Pier and Jacqueline add thoughtful notes and familial ties to each bottle.

We open the evening with Sofia, their sparkling wine. “A classic Italian method brut, 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir; the 2019 is aged on lees for 30 months. Between four and twelve grams of sugar per litre is added as a dosage,” lists Federico.

I find it pleasantly floral on the nose, opening with a light citrus, reminiscent of fresh, tart apple. It moves into warmer flavours of brioche, mirrored by its soft golden colour in the glass behind a fine, yet rolling, perlage.

Their Gemma uses an ancient grape variety with an unusual twist. “The Greeks brought the Malvasia grape to Sicily. Spreading across Italy, it’s now mainly grown in Parma, Friuli and Sicily,” describes Federico, “From that original cultivar, our Malvasia di Candia is of a more aromatic variety.”

He explains that, most commonly, Malvasia in Parma is produced as a sparkling wine, but they opted to make a still wine. “Sometimes, with white wines that stay in the bottle for a long time, the flavour has collapsed,” Federico continues, “But here, the better it becomes within the bottle.”

Dedicated to Jacqueline's great-grandmother, it's deeply rooted in their tradition of using family names. The aromatics are impressive; a floral scent of magnolia and pear blossom rises from the glass, met with herbal freshness on the palate, which would work well with fish or shellfish dishes.

Their Gemma Gentile is an elegant annexe of the Malvasia grape, with half of the harvest taken late, then aged in terracotta amphorae. Further ripening the fruit yields a semi-sweet wine with a richer, smoother feel and a slightly deeper yellow tone in the glass. While retaining its soft, creamy nature, it develops golden notes of dried apricot and warm spices.

As we move through the sampling, we meet Emy. “This is our Sauvignon Blanc, from 2022. I’ve been told that English people really like Sauvignon Blanc!” quips Federico. “But, it’s different because it’s aged much longer than a usual Sauvignon Blanc, which you usually drink after the harvest.”

With its gentle yet intriguing notes, it’s an excellent aperitif, and I find a soft aroma of leather and vanilla on the nose, with a pronounced and satisfying salinity.

“The name is because my father dedicated it to my mother.” Jaqueline shares, “It’s an expression of love; Emy is his pet name for her.”

We encounter Fonio next, a characterful Chardonnay, with floral tones of mimosa, pear, and apple, and a beautiful golden hue in the glass. “Spending half its time aged in a steel tank, we then use Italian-made Garbellotto barriques. It’s fresh and vibrant but simple to drink, but complex in aromas”, asserts Federico.

Red Wines

“This particular wine received gold medals on Decanter and at Mundus Vini”, Federico exclaims as he introduces Cá Fontani. “This is our diamond, our best red wine. We use Ervi, which yields a big, bold wine. It’s a hybrid of Barbera and Croatina Pimontese grapes, first produced in the 70s in Piacenza by Italy's most famous viticultural expert, Professor Mario Fregoni.”

It’s a bold red for sure, quick to share a red-fruit aroma of cherry and plum. A subtle suggestion of coffee and juniper follows, with a long finish of dark wood and vanilla.

To follow, we meet Jackie. “It is, of course, named after our Jacqueline”, Pier proudly shares.

“It’s a complex wine because it's a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Rebo. The Rebo is a hybrid of Merlot and Terraldo, usually grown in the Trentino region,” notes Federico.

According to Federico, each variety is aged separately in Austrian wood barrels for three months before they are reunited to age together. “It’s a complex production in order to make something that is reminiscent of the Bordeaux origin.”

Offering a graceful, enduring finish with abundant black-fruit aromas, Jackie says it’s a good representation of her character. “I'm really sweet, but determined!”

Dessert

Our final wine of the evening, Eos, a passito or dessert wine, is a star of the show. Its complex flavours are not dampened by its sweetness, derived from dried Malvasia di Candia; it maintains a very fine yet pointed acidity, creating outstanding balance. Offering umptuous notes of quince, baked yellow apple, honey, dried fruits, and toasted nuts, it matches its resonant orange-yellow colour.

Across the evening, it has been a veritable reintroduction to Italian wines. Hewn from land that has provided for centuries, manipulating bygone techniques and celebrating ancient cultivars, Pier and his team have created a fresh outlook on what Italian wine can be. When this reaches the list before you, we implore you to dive straight in.

For more information on sales and winery tours, visit Tenute Venturini Foschi.

Via Varano, 192
43014 Medesano Parma

Contact: salesmarketing@tenuteventurinifoschi.com

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