Falling in Love with an Idea
Adagio Vini is the dream of Andrea Visentini and Marcella Pizzolato — a project born from the magic of a single sip that changed their lives, in the enchanting Berici Hills south of Vicenza. From 6.5 hectares of certified organic vineyards, olive groves, and forest in Villaga, Barbarano Vicentino, and Mossano, they cultivate local grapes such as Garganega and Tai Rosso alongside international varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, plus a small vineyard of Ribolla Gialla. Their farming goes beyond organic: sulfur and copper are reduced and replaced with algae and mycorrhizae to stimulate the plants' self-defense. In the cellar, fermentations are spontaneous — sometimes with a pied de cuve, sometimes en masse — with no substances that alter the original characteristics, no filtration, and sulfites kept below 30 mg/L at bottling. This is not merely wine; it is a passionate narrative of ideas, places, and moments, shaped through artisanal wine and extra virgin olive oil with a careful, respectful gaze toward the beauty of the land that nourishes it.
Andrea Visentini & Marcella Pizzolato
The story of Adagio Vini is a story of transformation — of a moment so powerful it reorients a life. Andrea Visentini and Marcella Pizzolato were not born into wine families with centuries of tradition; they were ordinary people who fell in love with an idea, a place, and a sip of wine that contained and celebrated uniqueness. That sip, savoured in the extraordinary landscape of the Berici Hills, in the area of Barbarano Mossano, became the catalyst for a complete change of direction. They decided to cultivate an ambitious project: producing exceptional wines that maximise the territory's potential, not by imposing upon it, but by listening to it.
The name Adagio is not merely musical; it is a philosophy of tempo. In music, adagio means slow, deliberate, unhurried — a pace that allows every note to resonate fully. For Andrea and Marcella, it means the same in viticulture: a slow, attentive approach to the vineyard and the cellar that refuses the rush of industrial production. Their mission is to create products that tell stories and perspectives, engaging with diverse and creative minds through experimentation, exploration, and creativity. Adagio aims to embrace a world view rich in nuances, where wine becomes the symbol of an exciting journey between passion and territory.
The project is also a family endeavour, rooted in the daily rhythms of the Berici Hills. Andrea and Marcella tend their vineyards across three distinct but nearby locations — Villaga, Barbarano Vicentino, and Mossano — on a total of 6.5 hectares that includes 2.5 hectares of vineyard, 1.5 hectares of olive trees, and 2 hectares of forest. They also produce extra virgin olive oil, applying the same artisanal, low-intervention philosophy to another Mediterranean staple. Sometimes they buy grapes from local producers who share their principles, extending their community of like-minded growers. This is not a solitary project but a collaborative conversation — a network of friends and neighbours who believe that the Berici Hills deserve to be celebrated, not exploited.
"Falling in love with an idea, a place, or a moment is an experience that can change your life. The Adagio project is born from this magic: a special moment, savoring a sip of wine that contains and celebrates uniqueness."
— Adagio Vini
Barbarano Mossano & the Berici Hills
The Berici Hills (Colli Berici) rise south of Vicenza in the Veneto, an undulating formation born from an ancient sea roughly sixty million years ago. It is a landscape of rare tranquillity — a karstic terrain of sinkholes, red clay, chalky limestone, and volcanic soils that sits between the famous wine districts of Soave, Valpolicella, and Bardolino, yet remains off the beaten track. The hills protect the vineyards from fogs and late frosts, while the altitude and the presence of sinkholes allow a natural supply of water to supplement the limited rainfall. This is a terroir with a superior wine-growing vocation, where the chalky nature of the rocks and the red clay soils give the wines richness and body, while volcanic soils enhance the subtlety of flavours and fragrances.
Adagio's vineyards are spread across three distinct sites — Villaga, Barbarano Vicentino, and Mossano — each contributing its own voice to the blend. The total estate covers 6.5 hectares: 2.5 of vineyard, 1.5 of olive groves, and 2 of forest. This is not a monoculture but a mosaic — a deliberate interweaving of vine, olive, and woodland that maintains biodiversity and protects the ecosystem. The forest acts as a natural barrier, sheltering beneficial fauna, moderating temperature, and preventing the erosion that can plague steep hillside vineyards. The olive trees, farmed with the same low-intervention care as the vines, produce the extra virgin olive oil that is Adagio's second pillar.
The farming is certified organic and deliberately goes beyond. Andrea and Marcella are actively reducing the use of sulfur and especially copper, replacing them with algae and mycorrhizae to stimulate the plants' self-defense mechanisms. This is not merely organic compliance; it is a proactive, experimental approach that anticipates problems before they arise. They do not use herbicides, working the soil to control vegetation naturally. The harvest is entirely manual, ensuring special attention to each cluster. Currently, they do not irrigate, though they are considering it for emergency cases — a pragmatic concession to climate change that reflects their refusal to be dogmatic. To counteract wildlife, they rely solely on deterrent methods and physical protection, refusing lethal traps or chemical repellents. Their goal is to further reduce the overall number of interventions, allowing the vineyard to find its own equilibrium.
The varieties are a thoughtful mix of local heritage and carefully chosen internationals. Garganega — the great white grape of Soave and the Veneto — provides the base for Adagio's white wines, its thick skins and natural acidity perfect for the Berici climate. Tai Rosso — historically known as Tocai Rosso, genetically identical to Grenache and Cannonau — is the indigenous red soul of the Colli Berici, producing wines of raspberry, violet, and delicate tannin that capture the specific identity of the hills. Ribolla Gialla — a small vineyard of this Friulian classic — adds a third local voice. And the internationals — Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot — are treated not as global interlopers but as adopted children of the Berici, farmed with the same organic care and vinified with the same low-intervention philosophy. The goal is not to replicate Bordeaux or Burgundy; it is to see what these varieties taste like when they speak with a Berici accent.
Adagio Vini is located in Barbarano Mossano, south of Vicenza, in the Colli Berici DOC area of Veneto, Italy. The estate comprises 6.5 hectares across three sites: Villaga, Barbarano Vicentino, and Mossano — 2.5 hectares of vineyard, 1.5 hectares of olive trees, and 2 hectares of forest. Founded around 2019 by Andrea Visentini and Marcella Pizzolato. Certified organic farming with experimental beyond-organic practices. Also produces extra virgin olive oil.
The Berici Hills originated from an ancient sea over sixty million years ago, creating a karstic terrain of red clay, chalky limestone, and volcanic soils. The chalky rocks provide structure and body; the volcanic soils enhance subtlety of flavour and fragrance. Sinkholes allow natural water supply. The altitude protects from fogs and late frosts. This is a terroir of superior wine-growing vocation, particularly suited to red varieties and the Garganega white.
Certified organic farming that actively reduces sulfur and copper usage, replacing them with algae and mycorrhizae to stimulate plant self-defense. No herbicides — soil is worked to control vegetation. Manual harvest with special attention to each cluster. No irrigation currently, with consideration only for emergency cases. Wildlife counteracted solely by deterrent methods and physical protection. The goal is to further reduce overall interventions, allowing the vineyard ecosystem to self-regulate.
The 6.5-hectare estate is a deliberate mosaic: 2.5 hectares of vineyard (Garganega, Tai Rosso, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Ribolla Gialla), 1.5 hectares of olive trees for extra virgin olive oil, and 2 hectares of forest. The forest shelters beneficial fauna, moderates temperature, and prevents erosion. The olive oil is produced with the same artisanal, low-intervention philosophy. Sometimes grapes are bought from local producers who share Adagio's principles, extending the community of like-minded growers.
Spontaneous Fermentation & the Pied de Cuve
The guiding philosophy of Adagio Vini is that the cellar should be an extension of the vineyard's voice — not a place where the wine is corrected, but where it is protected. Andrea and Marcella's approach is deliberately low-intervention and rigorously respectful: fermentations are spontaneous to honour the characteristics of each vintage and the work done in the vineyard. In some cases, they employ a pied de cuve — a small starter fermentation of the most vigorous indigenous yeasts — to ensure that the cellar fermentation begins with the microbiological identity of their own Berici hills. In others, fermentation occurs en masse, without any addition that would alter the original characteristics of the must.
The methodology is patient and adaptive. The grapes are harvested entirely by hand, in small boxes, and transported immediately to the cellar. No cultured yeasts are added. No enzymes. No tannins. No sugar. The must is left to ferment at its own pace, in its own time, with the wild yeasts that live on the grape skins and in the vineyard air doing the work. Temperature is not aggressively controlled; the wines are allowed to find their own rhythm, reflecting the warmth or coolness of each vintage. This is not negligence; it is trust — the belief that the vineyard, if farmed well, will produce grapes that know how to become wine without instruction.
The commitment to purity is strong but pragmatic. No filtration is used at any stage — the wines are bottled as they are, with their natural sediment and living microbiology intact. Sulfites are added only at the bottling stage, and even then they remain below 30 mg/L for both whites and reds — a minimal, protective dose that acknowledges the realities of commercial distribution while respecting the wine's integrity. This is not zero-sulfite absolutism; it is low-sulfite wisdom — a middle path that allows the wine to travel without stripping it of its life. The result is a portfolio of wines that are authentic, alive, and deeply expressive of the Berici Hills: wines that reflect the purity and integrity of the territory without the cosmetic uniformity that industrial filtration provides.
The cellar is not a technological showcase; it is a working space where stainless steel and old wood coexist in the service of transparency. Andrea and Marcella intervene only to rack, taste, and bottle — never to correct, never to standardise, never to conform. The wines are allowed to take the time they need, and the couple provides the patience. This is natural winemaking not as a trend but as a necessity: in a landscape as nuanced as the Berici Hills, any heavy intervention would be a desecration. The goal is to offer an authentic wine that reflects the purity and integrity of the territory — a liquid narrative of the land, the season, and the hands that tended it.
Indigenous Yeasts, Pied de Cuve & Low-Sulfite Bottling
The guiding principle of Adagio Vini's winemaking is that the cellar should be invisible and the yeast should be local. Their approach — certified organic farming with algae and mycorrhizae, hand harvest with special attention to each cluster, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts (sometimes using a pied de cuve, sometimes en masse), no substances that alter the original characteristics of the must, no filtration, and sulfites added only at bottling below 30 mg/L for both whites and reds — is not a rejection of tradition but a deeper application of it. The pied de cuve ensures fermentation begins with the microbiological fingerprint of the Berici Hills. The absence of filtration preserves the living texture and evolving character of the wine. And the minimal sulfite addition at bottling provides just enough protection for the wine to travel without stripping it of its soul. The cellar is not a laboratory; it is a continuation of the vineyard, where time, patience, and wild yeast do the work, and Andrea and Marcella provide the attentive silence.
Venerdì, Legami, Prospettiva & the Adagio Rosso
Adagio Vini produces a focused, narrative-driven portfolio from 2.5 hectares of certified organic vineyards across Villaga, Barbarano Vicentino, and Mossano, plus grapes purchased from like-minded local producers. The wines are divided by colour and method — whites that capture the floral, mineral soul of Garganega and Chardonnay; a sparkling and still expression of the indigenous Tai Rosso; and reds that blend Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with the warmth of the Berici Hills. All are united by a common methodology: spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts (sometimes via pied de cuve, sometimes en masse), no substances that alter the original characteristics, no filtration, and sulfites kept below 30 mg/L at bottling. The names are evocative and personal: Venerdì — Friday, the day of release and celebration, given to the Garganega; Legami — Bonds, the connections that hold a community together, given to the Tai Rosso; Prospettiva — Perspective, the view from the hilltop, given to the white and sparkling wines; and Rosso Adagio — the house red, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet that speaks of the Berici's surprising affinity for Bordeaux varieties. The portfolio spans white, red, and sparkling — all united by a common character of raw authenticity, Berici minerality, and the unmistakable signature of a couple who fell in love with an idea and refused to let it go.
"Falling in love with an idea, a place, or a moment is an experience that can change your life. The Adagio project is born from this magic: a special moment, savoring a sip of wine that contains and celebrates uniqueness."
— Adagio Vini
The Idea & the Olive Grove
To understand Adagio Vini, one must understand that it is not merely a winery; it is a love story that became a landscape, a single sip that became a life project, and a refusal to let the Berici Hills remain undiscovered. Andrea Visentini and Marcella Pizzolato are not entrepreneurs seeking market share; they are a couple who fell in love with an idea, a place, and a moment, and who decided to build their lives around preserving and celebrating it. The identity of the project is defined by this origin: the magic of a special moment, the enchantment of the Berici Hills, and the conviction that wine should contain and celebrate uniqueness, not replicate it.
The identity is also defined by balance — between organic certification and beyond-organic experimentation, between low sulfites and pragmatic protection, between local varieties and international grapes, between wine and olive oil, between vineyard and forest. These are not contradictions; they are harmonies. Andrea and Marcella do not filter because they believe the wine is complete as it is. They keep sulfites below 30 mg/L because they believe the wine deserves to travel without suffering. They cultivate Merlot and Cabernet alongside Tai Rosso and Garganega because they believe the Berici Hills can speak in multiple voices. And they tend olive trees with the same care as vines because they believe the land nourishes more than one gift. The result is a portfolio of wines and oils that are deliberately alive, deliberately specific to the 6.5 hectares around Barbarano Mossano, and deliberately inviting to the drinker who understands that wine is a narrative, not a product.
The future of Adagio Vini is tied to the continued health of their vineyards, the deepening of their beyond-organic practices, and the gradual reduction of interventions in both vineyard and cellar. Andrea and Marcella are eager to go further — to experiment with longer ageing, to explore the forgotten varieties that still survive in the old vineyards of the Berici, and to obtain more natural expressions from the fruit of their own hills. The Venerdì line will continue to be the Garganega flagship, the white voice of the Veneto. The Legami will continue to champion Tai Rosso, the endangered indigenous red that defines the Colli Berici. The Prospettiva wines will continue to explore perspective — the view from the hilltop, the angle that reveals what others miss. And the olive groves will continue to produce extra virgin oil with the same artisanal care, proving that a small estate can nourish both the table and the soul.
In an age of increasing industrialisation in wine — of global varieties, engineered yeasts, and corporate consolidation — Adagio Vini stands as a compelling alternative, not because it rejects modernity but because it has embraced a deeper modernity: one that values a 6.5-hectare mosaic of vine, olive, and forest over a monoculture factory, algae and mycorrhizae over copper and sulfur, spontaneous fermentation over cultured yeasts, pied de cuve over laboratory inoculation, no filtration over cosmetic clarity, below 30 mg/L sulfites over standardised stability, hand harvest with attention to each cluster over machine picking, the indigenous Tai Rosso over the global Cabernet (and yet the Berici Cabernet over the Bordeaux replica), the forest and the olive grove over the chemical spray, the idea and the moment over the marketing budget, and the specific voice of Barbarano Mossano's red clays and chalky limestone over the standardised replication of a global style. Adagio Vini is not merely making wine; it is proving that a couple can become natural winemakers, that a single sip can become a life project, that a wine with minimal sulfites and no filtration can possess the most profound identity, and that the simplest philosophy — falling in love with an idea, a place, or a moment — is often the most profound. From the first experimental vintages around 2019 to the 2024 harvest in the Berici Hills: all united in one bottle, one olive oil, one unanswerable argument for the possibility of authentic, low-intervention, hand-made, passionately honest wine from the heart of the Veneto.
Andrea Visentini and Marcella Pizzolato — a couple who fell in love with an idea, a place, and a sip of wine. Not born into wine royalty, but transformed by a single moment of magic in the Berici Hills. The name Adagio reflects their philosophy: slow, deliberate, unhurried — a pace that allows every note to resonate. The project is a family endeavour across three sites: Villaga, Barbarano Vicentino, and Mossano. They also produce extra virgin olive oil and buy grapes from like-minded local producers. This is a winery where the personal and the territorial are inseparable, and the wine carries the quiet signature of a couple who surrendered to the landscape rather than conquering it.
Certified organic farming that actively reduces sulfur and copper, replacing them with algae and mycorrhizae to stimulate plant self-defense. No herbicides. Manual harvest with special attention to each cluster. Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts — sometimes via pied de cuve, sometimes en masse. No substances that alter the original characteristics. No filtration. Sulfites added only at bottling, remaining below 30 mg/L for both whites and reds. The wines are as natural as they come — authentically fermented, unfiltered, and purely expressive of the Colli Berici. A proof that the middle path — low sulfites, no filtration, beyond-organic farming — often produces the most balanced wines.
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📧 Email: andrea@adagiovini.it Adagio+1
📞 Phone / Mobile: +39 340 3186742 vinidivignaioli.com+1
🏠 Address (Legal / Vineyard): Via Bardella 47, 36100 Vicenza, Italy — vineyards / winery in the Colli Berici / Barbarano Mossano area. Adagio+1
🌐 Website: https://www.adagiovini.it/ — you can also use their contact form via “Contattaci / Contact us.”