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To aim high, rigorous and meticulous selection is also necessary. Especially in this challenging time for wine in international markets, where positioning becomes crucial.
For this reason, Edoardo Freddi has decided to take another step forward. Thus, Efi (Edoardo Freddi International, the sales agency dedicated primarily to the distribution of wines abroad) has been created as Efi Fine Wines, which is "separating" from the parent company to develop a project to promote certain producers who represent the "jewels" of an already very convincing portfolio.
"This is a new project," Edoardo Freddi explained during a presentation lunch at the Daniel Canzian restaurant in Milan. "This summer, we segmented our portfolio and classified the producers. We realized that some of them fell into a different category, closer to "tailor-made." Thus, Efi Fine Wines was born, with the idea of evolving over the coming years."
Separate entities, with a dedicated director for Efi Fine Wines, Martino Bettini. "To date," Bettini explains, "Efi has established international relationships, built bridges, and expanded its highly diverse portfolio. But above all, this group of producers we chose needed to be better represented, because each business has its own unique characteristics. Fine wine producers have specific needs: to tell their story with elegance and precision. For this reason, we will have higher allocations for Efi Fine Wines, dedicated space at wine fairs, and a different approach to the market."
Edoardo Freddi has thus played his four aces: Michele Satta (Bolgheri), San Leonardo (Trentino), Monteverro (Maremma), and Montevetrano (Campania). "We want to be ambassadors of their values," Bettini explains. "Because prestige isn't just a score, but a deep-rooted credibility, expressed through the quality perpetuated over the years."
To join EFI Fine Wines, each company must meet four fundamental selection criteria: heritage, which identifies brands capable of telling a story over time and preserving an authentic identity; ultra-premium positioning, aimed at producers of unique wines destined for the finest restaurants, wine bars, and collectors; recognition from international guides, guaranteeing a solid reputation among critics, publications, and industry professionals; and ESG sustainability, which rewards responsible and transparent practices that are attentive to the environment, people, and governance. "Sustainability," explains Edoardo Freddi, "that is not only environmental, but also social. They must represent the best of Made in Italy."
The companies are highly prestigious, like Montevetrano, described by founder Silvia Imparato: "I was a photographer, but I decided that making wine could be my career path, so I created Montevetrano. This might have seemed like a reckless choice, but it turned out not to be."
And the fruit of this effort has continued to this day, with Montevetrano becoming a symbol of a Campania region capable of producing great red wines, even for aging. A tasting of the 2022 vintage confirmed this: Cabernet Sauvignon, Aglianico, and Merlot, then aged in barriques for 12 months, achieve great balance and depth in a wine whose cornerstones are structure and complexity.
Margherita Chietti, on the other hand, is the marketing manager of Monteverro, a young Maremma winery founded by Georg Weber and his wife Julia's visionary passion for the village of Capalbio. "We believe that given the unique moment the wine world is going through, joining forces is becoming a winning choice," explained Margherita Chietti.
The Monteverro 2021 currently represents one of the finest expressions of wine in step with the times. The wine, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, ages for 24 months in barriques, 70% of which are new, but with great attention to toasting: a product with enormous potential, where finesse and structure find a pleasant combination.
The Efi Fine Wines initiative is particularly appreciated by Marchese Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga, owner of San Leonardo. "Edoardo Freddi is a great entrepreneur; we appreciated each other right from the start. I'm pleased to see this evolution, because the world of fine wines is very complex, and it's important to be able to control the price, maintain the image, and protect the brand."
Since its creation in 1982, San Leonardo has become one of the most popular Bordeaux blends in Italy (and beyond). The 2020 vintage, which could have seemed particularly dry, has given us a wine of extreme elegance, almost delicate on the palate, but profoundly long.
Francesco Guazzugli of the Michele Satta winery (one of the pioneers of the Bolgheri area) has high hopes for Efi Fine Wines. "It's a project we have great expectations for, with this new structure that will undoubtedly enhance our product. We hope the family of producers involved can grow."
Michele Satta's GiovinRe is a pure Viognier (Luigi Veronelli suggested the name, simply anagram of the word Viognier) that particularly highlights the characteristics of the terroir. The 2024 vintage is still young, but already expresses itself through freshness and intensity, never being pungent or aggressive, but leaving a pleasantly fresh and savory finish.
The future? For now, it's just a start—as Edoardo Freddi explained—but the intention is to bring other important wineries into this group, always respecting the four founding principles of Efi Fine Wines. The market will then determine whether this was a forward-thinking choice: the promises are certainly enticing.
