Franco Bernabei was one of the leading figures in Italian oenology and among the protagonists who shaped and championed the renaissance of contemporary Italian wine. Originally from the Veneto region, he later chose Tuscany as his home, settling in Greve, where he helped redefine the perception of Sangiovese by revealing a potential that had previously only been imagined.
Alongside pioneers such as Giuseppe Mazzocolin of Fèlsina and Giovanni Manetti of Fontodi, Bernabei was among the first, in the early 1980s, to firmly believe in varietal Sangiovese. With vision and determination, he helped bring these wines to international recognition.
A man of great elegance and discipline, Bernabei was also known for his unmistakable personal style. It is often said—with a smile—that even in the deepest corners of the cellar, he never gave up wearing a tie or maintaining his impeccable appearance.
I had the privilege of knowing him for more than thirty years, and I must admit that in all that time I never once saw him without a tie.
Those who knew him remember him as a man whose personality and profession were perfectly aligned—always impeccable, always unmistakable.
Safe travels, my dear friend.
Falstaff extends its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.
