Antonio Cesari Hails Partnership With Shinsegae

Antonio Cesari, the owner of the century-old Italian winery Brigaldara, says climate change has created challenges that his father, Stefano Cesari, did not face when he began distributing the family’s wines in 1979.

Brigaldara's Cavolo Vineyard in Grezzana, Italy / Courtesy of Shinsegae L&B

Cesari said weather conditions in Valpolicella, a well-known wine-producing area in Italy, have become increasingly extreme. For a traditional winery that depends on nature, he said the heat waves and wildfires spreading across Europe are difficult to ignore, even if some of those disasters have not hit Italy on the same scale this year. The pressure is especially relevant for producers like Brigaldara, where vineyard work and the style of wine the estate makes are closely tied to seasonal conditions.

"Still, it has been warmer than Korea in Italy and it has been like that almost all summer. The quantity of water is now almost zero and it’s going to be quite difficult. In January, meanwhile, the cold was so extreme we got 10 days under zero degree Celsius. That wasn’t normal for Mediterranean,” Cesari said at a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday.

“The last vintage that literally hasn’t been problematic due to the climate change was in 2021. Yes, I am scared and I think the future of my job is terrible. Everything is extreme.”

Antonio Cesari, the new owner of Brigaldara in Valpolicella, Italy, poses with a bottle of his wine from their vineyards while in Seoul on Tuesday. Courtesy of Shinsegae L&B

Despite those conditions, Cesari said he remains committed to sustaining the family winery in the Veneto region. His trip to Seoul was encouraged by Brigaldara’s ongoing business relationship with Shinsegae L&B, the liquor arm of Shinsegae Group. He described Korea as "one of the best markets we can get," underscoring how export relationships matter for European wineries trying to keep reach beyond a domestic market that he says is shrinking.

"We were quite shocked when Shinsegae contacted us in 2018. I cannot complain. We’re very happy," he said.

Cesari said the Shinsegae partnership stands out as one of his achievements. He also contrasted his position with that of his father, saying Stefano Cesari had to build the business environment for Brigaldara from the ground up before the winery could establish relationships such as the one with Shinsegae.

"Valpolicella became famous because of wine experts from my father’s generation. Back then, local wine markets in Italy were completely free so my father drove everywhere, including Munich, to where he drove three hours from Verona to sell everything. They were the ones who grew up the market," he said.

"We, on the other hand, were born richer. We could study and graduate universities. Our challenges are different from our fathers because the market is now opposite. They don’t drink and the market is decreasing. The market is now looking for fresher wines, easier drinking wines and different styles. Both generations, however, have the same goal — growing the grapes in the best way possible."

Brigaldara has 47 acres of vineyards across Italy and continues to focus on traditional wines and varieties rather than blends requested by international consumers. Cesari said the wider wine industry is also confronting falling consumption among younger generations, while non-alcoholic and low-alcohol products gain space in the market.

"Non-alcoholic products are coming to the market. Maybe the future market will be dominated by non-alcohol or low-alcohol products. Somewhere along the line, alcohol became a public enemy," he said.

"So we focus on how good and not dangerous the wine is. My grandparents and my father always got one glass of wine every day. It was part of the diet and a way of life. Brigaldara doesn’t want to make wine that kills you. We want to make a wine that you can enjoy and can be part of your life."