Gaggioli Vineyard and Winery in the hills of Bologna

A passion for wine and for the local area

Gaggioli vineyard and winery lies in the heart of the Colli Bolognesi, just outside the city of Bologna, in the district of Zola Predosa. The area, which has been repopulated with local flora and fauna, boasts a long tradition of wine making. As far back as 1000AD the Benedictine monks from the Abbey in Nonantola (Modena) made an excellent wine in the historic town of Zola. The “Strada del Vino” (the Wine route) evolved in 1250 to ensure safe passage from the hills to Bologna for the Brentatori, who transported first the grapes and subsequently the wine in wooden casks called “Brenta”.

A time-honoured tradition of wine making

In the 1970s Carlo Gaggioli took over the Bagazzana Vineyard and continued with the local tradition of wine making in an area already famous for its wine. In the 1980s he grew grapes and made wine to sell wholesale and in the 1990s started selling his wines by the bottle. Nowadays the vineyard and winery are run by Carlo Gaggioli and his daughter Maria Letizia and produce over 130,000 bottles per year, making it one of the most well known and important wineries in Emilia Romagna.

Veduta dell'antico Vigneto Bagazzana in provincia di Bologna

Gaggioli: Winery and Agritourism

Housed in a converted farmhouse that once belonged to the noble Salina family, the Agritourism in Zola Predosa comprises a modern winery and the Borgo delle Vigne Agritourism. Here guests can enjoy iconic local dishes paired with Gaggioli wines carefully chosen to complement the meal. La Corte welcomes visitors and wine lovers from all over the world. It is named after Francesco Raibolini- better known as “Il Francia” (1447?-1517)- Goldsmith and Director of the Bentivoglio Mint, who was also well- known as an artist.

Let’s take a step back into the past…

The first 100% Pignoletto Spumante

It all started with a wager-could an excellent wine be made from a notoriously “difficult” grape-Pignoletto (Grechetto Gentile). Enthusiasm, dedication and hard work paid off and Carlo Gaggioli, a veterinarian who nowadays prefers to be called a vintner, won the wager. He was the first person to believe in this grape and the first to make a Spumante made exclusively from Pignoletto. Today he is one of the major producers in Emilia Romagna of Pignoletto in both still and sparkling versions, the quality confirmed by the numerous awards and prizes he has received. Carlo Gaggioli is also to be acknowledged for making Pignoletto known to a wider public outside the local area, both in other regions of Italy and abroad. He was instrumental in creating the Consorzio dei Colli Bolognesi (Colli Bolognesi consortium) which overseas the promotion of DOC and DOCG wines from the Colli Bolognesi and also promotes the area in general. Not only Pignoletto……as well as Barbera the Gaggioli winery also makes non territorial wines such as Merlot DOC and Cabernet Sauvignon DOC, blended wines (Bianco Bologna DOC and Rosso Bologna DOC) and LETIZIA, a rose’ Brut Spumante all known and appreciated in Italy and abroad.

“My goal has always been to make quality wine. After 60 years in the business I really feel I have succeeded.”

Carlo Gaggioli