When Avignonesi was named Winery of the Year – Italy at the 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards, the accolade marked a technical achievement; it recognised a producer deeply rooted in place, yet unafraid to evolve. Their standout Super Tuscan Grifi, a compelling blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, was central to the win. So too was Desiderio, a soulful, structured Merlot that took home Merlot of the Year, an award that speaks to both the wine’s elegance and the winery’s commitment to character-driven expression. In this interview, Xiaowen DU, Marketing Manager and Assistant Winemaker, shares how Avignonesi is using these benchmark wines to open new markets, deepen importer partnerships, and communicate a broader story, one shaped by biodynamics, community, and a clear-eyed sense of purpose.

Image: Xiaowen DU, DipWSET, Marketing Manager & Assistant Winemaker.

Congratulations on Avignonesi being named “Winery of the Year – Italy” at the 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards. How does it feel to receive this recognition, and how do you plan to leverage this accolade in your global marketing and communication strategy?

Thank you! It’s a tremendous honour and a validation of our long-term path toward becoming a leader in the “good-wine industry”—with a focus on organic, biodynamic, and transparent practices. We’re weaving this recognition into newsletters and social campaigns. It’s also a great opening story in our conversations with sommeliers and importers.

Image: Avignonesi named "Winery Of The Year Italy” at 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards.

Let’s talk about the award-winning “Grifi.” It’s a wine that brings together Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon in a way that feels both rooted in Tuscany and forward-looking. What is the story behind this blend, and why do you think it resonates so strongly with sommeliers and wine lovers today?

For Avignonesi, Grifi is a historic wine, recently reborn. The Grifi was produced between 1983 and 1996, exploring the innate capacity of the Sangiovese grape for welcoming other varieties into the blend. The name Grifi is inspired by the griffin, a mythical creature that is half lion and half eagle, symbolizing the wine’s dual nature: the lion represents the power and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon, while the eagle reflects the elegance and freshness of Sangiovese. This blend bridges tradition and modernity, making it both distinctive and timeless.

With its deep ruby hue and layers of black cherry, plum, violet, and herbal spice, “Grifi” is clearly a wine of structure and nuance. In your view, how does it reflect the character of its terroir and the vintage, and what makes it distinctly “Avignonesi”?

Grifi 2022 captures the essence of its terroir and vintage through a blend of Sangiovese from Montepulciano and Cabernet Sauvignon from both Montepulciano and Cortona. The vineyards sit on sedimentary soils of marine origin from the Pliocene era, composed of alternating clay, loam, and calcareous sand; the Cabernet parcels are richer in more recent fluvial pebbles. A dry winter and hot summer concentrated the fruit, while late-August rains helped preserve balance and aromatic detail. Vinified separately with native yeasts and aged for 18 months, Grifi is powerful yet poised, reflecting Avignonesi’s hallmark elegance, precision, and commitment to expressing place.

Image: Biodynamically managed vineyards located in Montepulciano.

Let’s talk about the Merlot of the year - Desiderio. What is the story behind this wine?

Desiderio is one of Avignonesi’s most iconic wines, named after a majestic Chianina bull who lived on our estate in the 19th century and became a symbol of strength and identity. His portrait still appears on the label today. First released in 1988, Desiderio was among the earliest expressions of high-quality Merlot in Tuscany, and over the decades, it has grown into a benchmark for elegance and depth. The wine reflects not only the personality of the grape and our terroir but also Avignonesi’s philosophy — rooted in nature, guided by tradition, and driven by a desire to innovate.

Avignonesi has been a flagbearer for biodynamic and sustainable viticulture in Tuscany. Could you share some of the specific sustainability initiatives you’ve implemented recently, and how they shape the identity and quality of your wines?

We farm 170 hectares organically and biodynamically and became a certified B Corp in 2021. One of our most meaningful recent initiatives is La Stella vineyard, conceived as a living model of regenerative agriculture. Here, we implement biodiversity corridors, agroforestry elements, and soil-focused practices to foster long-term ecological resilience. In addition to our environmental commitments, we place strong emphasis on the social dimension of sustainability. We offer English classes for the children of our staff and local communities, and this year we introduced workplace training to reduce the risk of long-term musculoskeletal disorders. These efforts go beyond certification—they shape the way we think, farm, and make wine. The result is not only healthier ecosystems, but also wines that are vibrant, transparent, and deeply rooted in place.

Image: Avignonesi’s La Tonda and La Stella vineyards.

From a commercial standpoint, how widely available are “Grifi” & "Desiderio" in key international markets such as the USA? Which retail chains or independent stores carry it, and are there notable restaurants or sommeliers championing the wine?

Grifi and Desiderio have a strong presence in the U.S., our top B2B market by value. It's available through distributors in major cities and listed with chains like Total Wine, top independents, and fine dining venues in NY, SF, and Chicago. We also see growing momentum in Canada, the UK, Germany, and Asia.

Image: 2025 Sommelier Choice Awards winners - Avignonesi Grifi and Avignonesi Desiderio.

Could you tell us a bit about your current importer and distribution relationships, particularly in North America, Europe, and Asia? How do you support your partners in terms of marketing, activations, and sell-through strategies?

We work closely with importers and distributors who share our values of quality and transparency. Support includes multilingual trade tools, in-market visits, sommelier-led events, and consistent messaging. These partnerships are long-term investments, rooted in education and built to grow sustainable distribution systems.

What kind of marketing activities are you investing in at the moment, be it in-store tastings, digital storytelling, sommelier-led dinners, or trade-focused campaigns? And how do you measure success across these different channels?

We take a hybrid approach, combining masterclasses, winemaker dinners, private winery visits, and immersive hospitality experiences. Our goal is to create meaningful connections across both trade and consumer audiences. We measure success through a mix of KPIs—sell-in and sell-out data, event attendance, engagement metrics, and qualitative feedback from our partners.

Image: Avignonesi winery and cellar with wine reserves.

As the winery continues to grow in reputation and reach, are there new export markets you’re eyeing? What does the next phase of Avignonesi’s expansion look like, and how does “Grifi” & "Desiderio" fit into that broader portfolio strategy?

With strong foundations in Italy, North America, and key EU markets, we're now turning our attention to high-potential regions such as South Korea, Scandinavia, and parts of South America. “Grifi” and “Desiderio,” our standout Super Tuscan wines, serve as ideal flagships, premium yet approachable, and they help introduce international audiences to the broader Avignonesi range, from Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to other top-tier Tuscan expressions.

Conclusion

As Avignonesi builds on the global recognition earned by Grifi and Desiderio, the direction ahead is intentional. Each wine serves a role in amplifying their identity: Grifi as a powerful, nuanced voice for their evolving vision of Tuscany; Desiderio as an assertive expression of Merlot with both history and presence. Yet beyond awards or markets, what’s most striking is how seamlessly Avignonesi integrates environmental and social sustainability into its winegrowing narrative. In doing so, they’re expanding distribution and cultivating relevance, with integrity at the core.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network

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