Our cellars date back to as far as the end of the 19th century,
when - probably around 1890, although there are no official documents testifying to the
exact year - our great grandfather, "Giacomo Vico", started producing and
selling wine under his own name.
Giacomo began
making all the wines grown in the Roero and Langhe areas, selling
them mainly in 300 and 350 lt barrels with a metal nameplate identifying the winery.
Demijohns (54 lt. glass containers) were then introduced, and later still the wines were
finally bottled for sale. We still have many old labels

for Barolo, Barbaresco,
Nebiolo, Barbera, Freisa, Bonarda, Grignolino, Brachetto
.
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Concentrating exclusively on quality rather than quantity as is the case once again today - Giacomo was soon
receiving awards in competitions both at home and abroad, including a "Gold
Medal"

at the
International Food Fair held in Paris in 1909, and exporting as far afield as the
United States and Argentina, where he created his own sales network (as is borne out by
labels bearing the name of the importer there at that time).
When
Giacomos son Dario finished his studies he joined his father on a full-time basis,
quickly learning all the techniques of the trade. Little-by-little, however, Dario became
attracted by another passion - cars - and in the 1930s he dealt in motor sales as well as
marketing wines.
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In 1954 Giacomo died, and Dario closed down his
fathers business to work full-time in the automobile field. The premises and
equipment were rented out at different times to two companies who made wines under other
names.
Darios son, Corrado, followed in his fathers footsteps in the car dealer
business until 1970 when, together with his wife Anita, he returned to Canale to set up a
new venture.
The smells and fragrances of the countryside and of wine began to fill their lives once
again, and Anita started to appreciate wine herself and to set her heart on reviving the
old family wine business.
In 1990, with her three sons now grown up, a start was made on renovating the
old premises used by great-grandfather Giacomo. State-of-the-art technology was introduced into the winery
alongside the wooden casks used
for the ageing of the red wines, and in 1992 Anita, together with one of the sons,
Alessandro, began once again to make and sell wines under the name "Giacomo
Vico".
Inspired by the same spirit as the winerys original founder in deciding to
produce only products of the highest quality using grapes grown locally in the
vineyards of the Roero, they
set out on a marvellous adventure that demands professional commitment of the highest
standard, but is also so tremendously rewarding.... |