The winery of the “Lion Rampant” was established in 1968 when Dario Bersano with his wife Giuseppina set up a firm producing and bottling selected wines. Dario came from a family of farmers who had been producing and trading the wine obtained from their grapes for generations. His passion and the will to accept the challenge of the market, at that time still to be discovered and offering a lot of opportunities to the Italian quality wine supported him in his decision.
The beginnings were encouraging, he made wine from both the grapes from his estate and partly from the grapes purchased from vine growers of the region giving him the products of years’ labour. His son Roberto joined the company in 1992 at the age of 18. It was the moment to decide a strategy to win a big segment of the Italian market and enter the foreign market. So the winery renovated the plants and took parts in exhibitions and promotional events aiming at restyling its image and the image of its products. Selectvini S.R.L. – a company with seat in Canelli and consisting of two historical marks of the wine industry in the province of Asti: “CASA VINICOLA CORTESE”, established in Canelli in 1875, and “CASA VINICOLA PISTONE LUIGI”, established in Asti in 1860 – was purchased in 1998. This acquisition led to a further development of the range of product. Nowadays, the “CAVALIER DARIO” goes on with its long-term productive and trading activity. No doubt merging the two companies led to many advantages both for synergic work and new trade opportunities.
Mr. Roberto Bersano is the manager of the company and is supported by Mr. Claudio Marino, enologist, in charge of the wine making process and production, with the cooperation of Mr. Giuliano Noè, free-lance enologist and consultant; while Mr. Mauro Cuniberti, Accountant, is responsible for the administration and Mrs. Stefania Albenga, Accountant, is charged of the trade department; she is the only lady of the staff yet the presence of a woman was necessary since wine is for ladies too.
The wines produced are meeting with success all over the world with the enthusiasts comments of connoisseurs. The visits to the winery are appreciated where our guests will find hospitality and friendship, the soul of wine always expressed by the farmers in the province of Asti, since it is part of their DNA.