Among the top five winemakers in Italy, Franco Giacosa joined Zonin in 1997. “I had been approached by the biggest names in Tuscany but chose Zonin because of the opportunities here”, says the technical director, who oversees winemaking at all the Zonin properties and a staff of 32 enologists and viticulturists. “The Italian peninsula is 1,500 kilometers long, spanning from the 45th to the 37th parallel, and has so many different territories and a huge potential in each”.

It would be impossible to underestimate Giacosa’s winemaking clout in Italy (he headed Sicily’s Carvo for 23 years and is credited as the person who “discovered” Nero d’Avola, the island’s most promising native variety) just as it is impossible to understate his influence on Zonin’s new brand identity. Franco Giacosa is a guarantee that the company’s emphasis on quality is more than mere rhetoric.

So, it’s no surprise that when Giacosa speaks, the Zonins listen -even if it means going over budget by $500,000 as they did during Giacosa’s first year with the company. Giacosa refurbished vineyards, replanted and installed better trellis systems. “I don’t believe in corrective winemaking”, he says. “The less work done in the winery, the better”.
His cell phone rings with a jazzy tune and Giacosa is told the Maremma estate lost 10 percent of its fruit during an overninght hailstorm. “Geez, but okay, less fruit is actually a good thing”, he consoles the alarmed caller. If there’s one thing this Alba-born winemaker has acquired in Sicily, it is a sunny optimism.

Education

• 1966: Diploma in Oenology, School of Oenology in Alba, Piedmont
• 1974: Degree in Economics and Commerce.
• numerous courses in the sector including the theory and practice of wine tasting at the University of Bordeaux.

Work Experience

1966 / 1967: Wine Cellar in the Asti province.
1968 / 1974: Wine Cellar in Sicily.
1974 / 1984: Winery “Duca di Salaparuta  spa “Quality control and bottling Manager.
1984 / 1977: Within the same company, Technical and Production Director.
Regular participant as wine taster in national and international oengic competitions, including “Banco di Assaggio vini d’Italia” Umbria; Venice “Vini d’Autore”. The Vinitaly International Oenology Awards, Verona. “International Wine Awards” in Johannesburg S.A, “Great International Wine Awards Mundus Vini” in Germany.
In the thesis written at the University of Catania, he demonstrated as the very first winemaker in Sicily, the qualitative potential of the superb indigenous red grape variety “Nero d’Avola”.

During his time at “Casa Vinicola Duca di Salaparuta“ Giacosa developed a research department using 120 small vats (100 litres) for microvinification. This became essential in comparing and understanding the different varieties, soils and microclimate of a region which until that time was known exclusively for its wine sold in bulk.
In the early 80’s he started production of a red wine using 100% the indigenous varietal “Nero d’Avola“ wich was immediately appraised at the highest levels in guides and press reviews worldwide.

1997  up to today

In 1997 Mr. Gianni Zonin invited Giacosa to create a Quality Improvement Project for the family vineyards with a high viticultural vocation and situated in 7 different regions of Italy.

The first stage was applied to the vineyards by fully respecting each region’s environmental conditions and particular traditions regarding the cultivation of the international and indigenous varietals. The result produced ripe, healthy and well-balanced grapes not requiring special treatment in the cellar.

In each region Giacosa contributed significantly to making wines obtained from Italy’s treasure trove of indigenous grape varieties (Barbera, Refosco, Bonarda, Sangiovese, Nero d’Avola, Insolia, Primitivo, Prosecco and others) – by seeking to express the specific character of each territory using manual and traditional methods.

Presently Franco Giacosa coordinates and directs Europe’s largest team of winemakers, wich includes 18 oenoligists and an additional 14 wine technicians and agronomists who work in Zonin’s 11 estates amounting altogether to more than 3,000 hectares, of wich 1,800 hectares are planted in vines.

On the 5th November 2004 the President of the Italian Republic carlo Azelio Ciampi awarded doctor Franco Giacosa with the “Onorificenza di Commendatore”.  He lives in Verona, Italy.