Giovanna Tantini Has Her Priorities Straight
It’s become a running joke for Dan and I — whenever we make plans with a winemaker in Italy, the first question they ask us is where we should eat. It’s not that they don’t care about showing off their latest vintage, or new vineyards… they just have their priorities straight.
I’ve always known that sitting around a table sharing a meal is the best catalyst for good relationships, and the Italians are welcoming in a way that reminds you it’s not all strictly business. Working together means more than a fair exchange of goods for currency. It’s safe to say for every winemaker we work with, this is not just a livelihood, it’s a way of life. And they put their bottles on the table to bring you into their world.
So when I made plans to visit Giovanna Tantini this spring, I wasn’t surprised when her response was something along the lines of come early so we have time for lunch together at the house.
After a rambling tour of the vineyards — checking in on new plantings of Trebbiano and Corvina, all trellised overhead in the old school method, and taking in the sweeping view of the Dolomites to the north and Lake Garda to the west — it was time to eat. We pulled up to Giovanna and Marco's house to a cluster of cars parked on the lawn.
"We have company," Giovanna said nonchalantly.
Company was an understatement. The local wine consortium and tourism board had taken over their dining room for a weekend work retreat, their meeting in progress around their twenty-foot table as lunch was being served. Before I could even get my bearings, a chair was pulled out, a plate was set in front of me, and my glass was filled — all before I'd said a word. It’s the kind of simple and heartwarming gesture I’ve come to appreciate on my visits to Italy; no ceremony, no fussing, just a genuine human-to-human connection around the table. Pass the pasta, pass the salami, pass the wine, and join in the conversation. And isn’t that the whole point.
There's a magic to a meal like that — even with the simplest of elements, among strangers at a working meeting on a Saturday afternoon. Everyone was appreciating the meal and being human together. I've come to see that this is what Giovanna is really making when she makes wine — not just a product, but an invitation. Pull up a chair. Stay a while. Enjoy the conversation.
Giovanna Tantini
Il Bianco di Custoza DOC2025
This is a blend of Garganega, with Trebbianello, Trebbiano, and Chardonnay blended in… but more importantly, it’s fresh, bursting with ripe fruit aromas and utterly refreshing.
Giovanna picks and ferments each variety separately before making the final blend. She then ages the wine for a short period on the lees for a bit of texture and added complexity. The results are beautiful aromas of grapefruit, a hint of tropical fruits, and on the palate, a pleasantly round texture with a crisp, citrus-y finish.
I asked Giovanna what she pairs this with, and with a wave of her hands, she rattled off a menu of antipasti, charcuterie, pasta, fish, vegetables… anything! I agree! A perfect everyday white for… everything!
Giovanna Tantini
Bardolino DOC 2024
You will make fast friends with this wine — it is easy to love and a good companion. A blend of Corvina and Rondinella, this stays in stainless steel for 15 months until bottling, to preserve freshness. This isn't a darkly colored wine, but its transparent ruby hue belies the energetic aromatics of red raspberry, what the Italians call fruti di bosco, a touch of fresh tarragon, marzipan and salt. This is a perfect shoulder-season red, alive and easy to drink, and beautiful with a slight chill. Giovanna’s pairing advice applies just as equally — anything!
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We’ve got these two hand-crafted invitations arriving in September; Giovanna’s brilliant refreshing Custoza white, and her cheerful, fruit filled red Bardolino. Make sure to have a few of each on hand for the next time you need to make room for one more at your table.