Davide Fasolini’s energy is palpable.
Tall with ginger hair, a beard, and glasses that seem held up by the ends of his smile, you can feel his energy, excitement, and passion as he waits to tell you about his wines. His smile and energy are contagious.
He is one-half of the founders of Dirupi. He and his partner Pierpaolo Di Franco were childhood friends who met again as they finished university with degrees in enology.
They did not have family vineyards or land, so they rented 15 terraced sites in Valtellina and founded the company in 2004. Some of the vineyards they found were old and neglected plots that they needed to restore or replant.
Their goal was to farm organically, something that can be difficult with any amount of humidity. They were determined and achieved certification in 2015 for three of their wines. This is a dry region, but they do have summer rain which leaves them with the potential for mildew. They are working with the university on a system with essential oil to help. They also use “argile” (clay) to collect moisture and prevent powdery mildew.
As we tasted the wines, Davide wanted me to know more about the sub-region the vineyards were in. The altitude, he said, was very important. Vineyards range between 270 and 700 meters above sea level, and the altitude is important in keeping the freshness in the wine.