Our Roots

Back in 2001, we discovered our family’s roots in Italy and a window into my past, my culture, and my heritage opened. My grandfather lived in a small town near the southern shores of Lake Garda in Lombardy. Garda is located about half way between Venice and Milan in the northern part of the country. My father’s first cousin Giuseppe still lived in that town and his daughter, Stephania welcomed my brother and me into her home and her family as we spent a wonderful week getting to know everyone. At the end of our visit, Giuseppe asked us if we would like to take a few bottles of the “family wine” home with us. Without waiting for an answer he went downstairs to a large demijohn full of wine and started filling some bottles. I guess we thought that some distant uncle or cousin just made homemade wine in his basement and shared it with the family. However, on his next visit, while having lunch at a local trattoria, my brother saw a “Turina” Gropello on the wine list. It turned out that our “family wine” was from Cantine Turina, a well known local vineyard making award winning wines in the area. And that’s where it began.

My brother got his importer’s license, and named his business Due Fratelli (Two Brothers). For a few years, he just brought a few cases of our family wine into the states. I’d go to dinner parties with a bottle of Turina wine and would tell everyone who would listen about Paolo, Dario, and Luigi Turina making wine in Italy. The fact that the wines were made from local indigenous grapes that few people had heard of made it all the more interesting. Over the years, my brother’s importing business grew. He now represents nearly 2o producers throughout Italy. I am the sole distributor of Due Fratelli wines in Colorado.

Selling wine for me, is not about business. It’s about connections. It’s about sharing my heritage and my culture. It’s about the families that work the vines striving to bring out the best of each vintage. Wine has power. It encourages people to relax, unwind, and enjoy each other's company. Tap into that potential and share a bottle today with your favorite people.