Pojer & Sandri

Pojer & Sandri as a company dates back to 1975, when young Fiorentino Sandri inherited a parcel of vineyards at the Alpine village of Faedo and with his enologist friend Mario Pojer formed a partnership that has proves to be one of the most fruitful in Italian wine. Their first release was an exquisitely scented Muller-Thurgau from the 1975, flowed by acclaimed whites from Chardonnay and the native Nosiola. Mario and Fiorentino traveled widely to study winemaking, while acquiring vineyards and building new cellars and a distillery at Faedo. Early success with whites inspired interest in reds, initiated with a Pinot Nero in 1980 that proves to be Burgundian in a refined style. The partners, envisioning a majestic red to head their list, planted Cabernets, Merlot and Lagrein down the hill at San Michelle All’Adige, adjacent to the wine school of which they are both alumni. Rosso Faye emerged with superlatives from the 1990 vintage, following with an even greater fanfare fro the 1993, though even in lesser years is shows enviable style. The addition of Lagrein seems to give Rosso Faye an extra dimension that distinguishes it from other Italian reds based on Bordeaux blands. The label , with a painting by the German master Albrecht Durer from the 1502, depicts a plump hare, which Mario and Fiorentino consider a perfect culinary match fro their wine. Faye(the ancient name of Faedo) is also applied to a Chardonnay among the classiest of Italy’s oak-fermented whites. From 32 hectares, Pojer & Sandri produce about 240,000 bottles annually, ranging thought Trentino DOC varietals to fine bottle-fermented sparkling wine to Essenzia, a sumptuous blend of late-harvest grapes. The distillery is noted for fruit liqueurs and an oak-ages grappa called, appropriately, Divino. Never content with their achievements, Mario and Fiorentino have acquires an old farm in the high Cembra valley where they are reviving long-neglected vines for a new series of wines.