THE FAMILY
President
Salvatore Di Gaetano
A lifetime of work to achieve a dream that would become a reference model. The dream of giving rise to an important production experience, with deep ties to the land and its ability to generate life, history and culture. More than thirty years ago he decided to valorise Sicilian wine-making traditions to achieve excellence through the production of high-quality wine, in a period in which it seemed this was a long way from being even remotely conceivable, based on the few others that had embarked on this process. The world of high-quality wine, at least in Sicily, was just beginning and Salvatore Di Gaetano, a young businessman devoted to his land, could already glimpse the enormous potential offered by Sicily as a wine-making region. A miniature continent, capable of encompassing absolutely everything: from the high mountains to the sea, from compact clay soils to those emerged from the sea, not to mention the lava sands of Etna. Then there are the vines, the sun and the spiralling wind.
CEO
Vinzia Novara Di Gaetano
Vinzia Novara is a symbol of Sicilian wine. Her face, intense and Mediterranean, has presented Firriato’s version of Sicily to the world. She is determined, imaginative and brave. This businesswoman has enchanted thousands of wine lovers with the naturalness and passion of her story of a production that thrives on the land, sea and sun-bathed vineyards. She has shared a busy life with her husband Salvatore, dedicated to work, to achieving that great dream of a production based on terroir and vineyards, the elegance and complexity of the wines and the ability to express the culture of a people. Over the years, she has managed to embody those values that have made Firriato one of the bravest and most innovative companies in the international wine-making industry. She has identified success by linking the company with the land, speaking of the territory as well as the wine, giving a cross-section of the true Sicily and its ties with hedonism. She is a direct, determined and demanding woman, especially with herself.
COO
Federico Lombardo di Monte Iato
Creativity, imagination, and passion for winemaking are the cornerstones of Federico Lombardo di Monte Iato. An honors graduate in IT and Management Engineering with a long executive experience who finds in Firriato winery a research and implementation opportunity from marketing strategies to viticulture. A remarkable academic career and a strong passion for wine are the hallmarks of Federico di Monte Iato’s work in Firriato winery, from viticultural estates to winery, even in communicating to customers. Once he entered the winery , some active and present aspects of the cellar such as: organic management of vineyards, eco-friendly and sustainable practices and experimental labs ( in the Trapani countryside and in Favignana island) for recovering Sicilian indigenous grapes have been upgraded in order to become the key assets of Firriato’s brand indentity. Precision plays a key to make viticulture of excellence, especially in areas very different in soil composition and climate exposure.
Chairman
Irene Di Gaetano Lombardo di Monte Iato
If Firriato’s golden rule is method, consideration and analysis, Irene Di Gaetano is the most attentive and able interpreter of it in the company. Clarity of thought and reasoning are the tools with which she starts her working day, when she is not in Rome or handling commitments abroad. Her legal studies and affinity with the law are a new and important resource in the direction of the family company. She is distinguished by strength of purpose and talent. Nevertheless, Irene knows from her father’s experience that great ideas live in the hearts of dreamers and lovers. The decision to work in the family business was not the result of an automatism, the conventional transition to the next generation. Irene has a different plan. She thrives on her ability to add something of her own to Firriato’s great production plans, discussing ideas and listening, but sure in the knowledge that at the end of the day a businessperson has to make a decision. Competitive dynamism, production specialisation and an international backdrop are important factors in the world of high-quality wine, but they are not enough to guarantee success. Irene knows this. A thousand factors, each one linked to the other, contribute to achieving a dream and keeping it alive. This awareness is a point of strength for Firriato and will never be forsaken.