Franco Bernabei – Farewell to a Leading Figure of Contemporary Italian Oenology

03.07.2026

He played a pivotal role in the rise of Chianti Classico and was one of the key figures behind the modernization of Italian winemaking. For decades, he advised numerous wineries, helping to define a more precise, distinctive, and contemporary expression of Sangiovese. His passing leaves a profound void in the wine world.

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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.

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