History
It all began when grandfather Silvio began to cultivate a few square meters of vineyard adjacent to the family home in Bellinzona, producing a Merlot wine for home use with great passion. His son Gianfranco inherits this passion, inducing him, while he specializes becoming an electrical engineer, to perfect himself in the world of enology, studying on his own, wanting to improve that wine of which his father was so proud.
Time passes and Gianfranco wants to increase this passion into something more concrete and so in 1992, together with his dear friend and renowned architect Aurelio Galfetti, he built the first Cantina Ghidossi where it stands on the dunes of Monte Ceneri in Cadenazzo, which has also been awarded internationally and featured in various architectural publications, books and magazines.
From that moment there is a rapid rise in satisfactions, where with passion, tenacity and scrupulousness, they led him to develop and improve his wines to the fullest. In fact, he began to win the first medals in international competitions, obtaining several Gold Medals for the Merlot which he bears his nickname: “Saetta”.
Soon his passion was also transmitted to his son Davide who, remembering those moments of his youth, says:
“I have had a passion for viticulture since I was a child. I remember the many activities carried out with my dad. It is true, perhaps initially, on certain occasions, I would have preferred to go and play with my friends rather than help him in the vineyard, but for this very reason I thank him for having had so much patience and having always believed in me. If not, right now I wouldn’t have gotten to this point. Furthermore, during all these years, my mother Renata has been a strong anchor for my father who helped and supported him to prepare company dinners for his customers and thus begin to make our wine slowly known. “
Therefore Davide, after graduating as an electrical designer and having spent several years in the engineering studio of his father Gianfranco, decides to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, making their hobby a real profession. He then began studying Oenology and Viticulture at the EIC in Changins and after graduating from high school, he wanted to have various work experiences which led him to the Canton of Valais, Canton of Vaud, and finally to Australia. After more than five years living away from home, always in the company of his current wife Stéphanie, Davide decides to return and ready to take on his responsibilities in the family business.
The increasing production no longer allowed all the grapes to be vinified in the now small cellar of Cadenazzo, and with the purchase of new land in Malcantone it became necessary to build a new cellar in Croglio where with the help of the architect Franco Moro arose the new structure, which runs along the river Tresa. The new cellar, immersed in the vineyards planted with Merlot, is a mix of modernity and a fusion of nature, stone and wood, materials that evoke the origins of Ticino itself.
Subsequently in 2018 father Gianfranco, given the excellent results of his son Davide, acquired the majority of the shares of Chiodi Vini of Ascona. The Arnaboldi family business is already established in the wine trade and its production, with products such as Prima Goccia, Ultima Goccia, Rompidee and Tre Terre. In addition, Chiodi itself, back in 2006, had purchased the Carlevaro SA winery in Arbedo which had on the market the Riserva del Carmagnola, Ampelio, Albino and Fior d’Autunno wines that are currently still part of the production range.
The scrupulousness and the attention and the love towards the care of the vineyard and the production always aimed at quality, with very low production yields, allow this family business to obtain expressive wines, capable of enthusing and surprising all types of palate.
To crown the great dedication of his son Davide for his profession as an oenologist and winemaker, he was chosen as Rooky for the year 2020 by the Gault & Millau guide, which indicates a new revelation in the wine sector.
Furthermore, Cantine Ghidossi, achieved a coveted recognition at the 2020 edition of the international competition of the Mondial du merlot & assemblages obtaining the Grand Medaille d’Or, obtaining a score over 92/100, with the Ticino doc Merlot Saetta 2017 and the Gold medal for Ticino doc Merlot San Martino 2018. Now Chiodi Vini SA of Ascona, which has become a partner of Cantine Ghidossi, under the direction of their father Gianfranco, continues with great dedication the passion for the creation of quality wines, assisted by the two winemakers Davide Ghidossi and Andrea Arnaboldi and the valid advice of dear friend Giampiero Carlevaro.
