Luigi Einaudi was the first democratically elected president of Italy. In the wake of fascism and the death of Mussolini, it's no surprise that the Italian public elected a man who was both a financial... Read More

Luigi Einaudi was the first democratically elected president of Italy. In the wake of fascism and the death of Mussolini, it's no surprise that the Italian public elected a man who was both a financial whiz (he had been the director of the Banca d’Italia) but also someone with a fundamental connection to and respect for agrarian life, and an unshakable love for the unique culture of Italian wine and gastronomy.

Well before he was elected, though, Enaudi was a grape grower in the Langhe hills. He bought land in Dogliani in the late 1890s, which included a few rows of Dolcetto and Nebbiolo vines. Over the years, he acquired more and more prestigious sites, stopped selling fruit to the local co-op, and began making his own wine. Luigi's great-grandson, Paolo Sardagna, is at the helm today.