Pasini San Giovanni was founded by Andrea Pasini in 1958 and is still run today by the family, now the third generation of winemakers. They’ve become a benchmark for the regions of Valtènesi and Lugana- both on the Brescia side of Lake Garda. Under the current guidance of cousins Paolo, Sara, and Luca, their philosophy is focused on organic farming, biodiversity in the vineyards, indigenous varietals, and a carbon neutral carbon footprint (their entire winery is run on solar).

They focus on the native varietals of the Garda area- specifically Groppello for reds and Turbiana for whites. Groppello tends to produce fresh and lively wines with lower alcohol that can age 10-15 years. Turbiana, the grape of Lugana, is related to Verdicchio but has adapted to be ideally suited to the clay soils of Lugana.

In the cellar, the attention to detail is unsurpassed. For their Chiaretto rose, a blend of Groppello, Marzemino, Barbera, and Sangiovese, four separate passes are made at optimal ripeness for each grape vs. picking them all at once. Each grape is then given its own ideal length of maceration before pressing; Groppello receives nearly 24 hours on the skins while Marzemino, thick-skinned and dark in color, is pressed immediately. All four grapes are then fermented separately before a final blend is assembled. Their preference across the range of wines favors transparency and freshness over power and density. They eschew the use of new wood altogether and don’t use any wood for the majority of their reds.