Martini

For centuries the Piedmont region in northern Italy has been the cradle of vermouth production. Why? Because the hills and mountains clustered around Turin provided the necessary fine herbs and quality wines for its production. The town of Pessione lies in this area, and this is where the Martini legend began. In the mid 1800s, Turins Distilleria Nazionale di Spirito di Vino was formed, specialising in the production and sale of wine, vermouth and liqueurs. From within the Distilleria an exceptional trio of rising stars emerged: Alessandro Martini, Luigi Rossi and Teofilo Sola, experts, respectively, in commerce, herbalism, and book-keeping. These three men started something that would put the village of Pessione on the map, and the name of the brand on the lips of the world. Together, they took the company forward, changing its name in 1863 to Martini, Sola & Cia. In 1879, the Sola family sold its interests to the remaining partners. Within a decade the new company, Martini & Rossi, fuelled by the energy and ambition of its founders, had offices around the world, from Buenos Aires, to Geneva and Barcelona, to become Piedmonts largest wine exporter. The journey had begun.