Wines and typical products

Ticinowine: Passion for the land and wine

20 January 2026

Edited by the Editorial Staff

Ticinowine has just awarded two prizes: the 2025 Award to the person or organization that has distinguished itself most over the year in supporting the canton's winemaking industry, and the Lifetime Achievement Award to those who have dedicated their entire life to winemaking in Ticino. We met the two winners, popular RSI journalist Lara Montagna and Feliciano Gialdi, a long-time producer of excellent wine.

Ticinowine awarded you for your support of the cantonal winemaking industry. How has your relationship with vines and wine developed over the years?

Feliciano Gialdi: "Our family has been active in the sector since 1953, when my father Guglielmo founded a company to market wines, primarily from abroad. Sixty years ago, in May 1965, I joined the company, and in 1984, following the purchase of a winery in the Tre Valli, I began producing Merlot. The company has since grown further, and today, grapes from as many as 220 growers are delivered to the cellars in Mendrisio and Bodio. Since 2001, thanks to the acquisition of Brivio Vini and maintaining the two distinct brands, we have offered consumers wines that perfectly represent the region, with vineyards in the northern part of the canton and those in the southern Mendrisiotto region.
With determination and without ever abandoning the historic 1880 cellars of Mendrisio, and updating the company with modern technologies, in the utmost respect for the territory, we create 30 wines that respect the origin of Ticino, of which approximately 80% Merlot grapes, for a total volume of approximately 1 million bottles per year."

Lara Montagna: "The world of winemaking has always fascinated me. I remember the first wine aroma box I bought in Zurich: a small box capable of capturing aromas and memories. But the real leap from the sensorial dimension to the concreteness of the vineyard came with hosting L'Ora della Terra , the historic Rete Uno program dedicated to rural life. In 2015, I inherited the legacy of Angelo Frigerio, the "Sciur Maestro," who for over fifty years brought the love of the land to the radio with skill and humanity. I immediately felt a responsibility to continue that sincere dialogue with the public. As I approached mountain beekeeping and the art of mountain cheesemaking, a passion for viticulture also naturally developed. Mountain pastures and vineyards share the same soul: a profound connection with the land, seasonality, and the authentic relationship between man and nature. In the vineyards as in the mountain pastures, man still speaks the ancient language of the earth, the one I try to recount every Sunday at Earth Hour.

Working the land to produce wine, as well as telling the story and profession of those who have chosen to make the land their reason for living, also means carrying out an important work of passing on memory for the benefit of future generations...

Lara Montagna: "Every vineyard and every mountain pasture holds an ancient knowledge, made up of gestures that have been repeated for centuries and risk being lost if not shared. Public service has the task of keeping this connection alive, giving voice to those who work with passion on difficult terrain—from mountain pastures to heroic vineyards. Winemakers, in particular, tell our roots but also know how to look forward: they combine tradition and research, embracing scientific innovation to address new climate and production challenges. It is in this balance between memory and future that the strength of their profession is renewed. Recounting the viticulture of Italian-speaking Switzerland in Earth Hour means restoring value to those who defend the authenticity of our land and, at the same time, build its future."

Feliciano Gialdi: "I want to share this recognition with all the collaborators who have accompanied me on this long adventure, including winemaker Alfred De Martin, who has been "signing" the Brivio and Gialdi brands for 25 years . What has always sustained us is the tenacity to continue and renew ourselves with new projects aimed at creating high-quality wines that represent the Canton of Ticino oenologically and ideally. The commitment of a winemaker in the vineyard is demanding; only quality grapes produce an excellent wine; the producer must follow through with passion and professionalism, not wasting what nature has given us. More and more young people are approaching the winemaking profession, investing in their skills and resources, with a strong desire to innovate but also with respect for preserving the heritage of techniques and knowledge that we "old hands" have inherited and accumulated over the years."