Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Chiara Condello

Chiara Condello is a name on the rise. Wine critics are hailing her as driving the ‘new wave’ of Romagna Sangiovese.

She humbly plays down this hype - she says all she’s doing is going back to the way they used to make wine around here, but in a cleaner, more modern winemaking environment.

Chiara hails from Predappio in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. I came across her at a wine fair for organic producers in Bologna.

Emilia-Romagna is known as the Food Valley of Italy - it’s home to Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Parma ham, balsamic vinegar from Modena, and tagliatelle and tortellini pasta, amongst many others.

It’s also home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti… and other high-end producers of furniture, shoes and yachts.

It’s a pretty nice part of the world - and here is one of the region’s brightest talents.

Chiara studied economics in Milan and was all set to join a consulting programme after graduating. But then she went back to the family winery in Predappio to help out for a couple of months.

And she’s still there now!

In 2015 she came across some old vineyards that the owner wanted to pull out. She intervened, saved the precious grapes and her own business was born.

Chiara chooses her importers carefully, and wants to work with passionate people who can carry her message of the great potential of Predappio Sangiovese.

I’m going to do my best to do just that!

Chiara's Wines