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Our vineyards lie on the slopes of the Colli Albani, the oldest volcano in Lazio, on the land between its extinct crater and the Tyrrhenian Sea, just south of Rome. The soil is volcanic: dark, porous and rich in minerals. It gives our wines a savoury tension and a freshness that many people don't expect from central Italy. In summer the sea breeze cools the nights and keeps the grapes healthy, which matters when you farm without shortcuts.
Wine has been made in this part of Lazio for more than two thousand years. Our family has been part of that story for over sixty years, across three generations with different trades and starting points but one shared goal: to make honest wine and do good for the land that produces it.
Today Gaffino covers 32 hectares, 24 planted with vines and 3 with olive trees, all certified organic by ICEA. We use only our own grapes, harvested by hand, and produce around 70,000 bottles a year. A new winery, due to be completed in 2027, will keep every stage, from vineyard to bottle, under our direct control. The owner, Gabriele Gaffino, still follows production, sales and export personally, so the people you talk to are the people who make the wine.
We work with Lazio's native grapes alongside international varieties that have found a real home on volcanic soil. Cesanese, the region's great red grape, is the heart of Cardinale and Cardinale Etichetta Blu. Malvasia Puntinata, an ancient local white variety, becomes our Roma DOC white, while Roma DOC Rosso blends Montepulciano and Sangiovese. Il Buon Bastardo (Cabernet Sauvignon), Tubbo (Merlot), Fojetta (Viognier), Sospiro (Trebbiano Verde and Malvasia) and Temula, a Syrah rosé, complete a range built to work both on restaurant tables and on wine shop shelves. Several names come from the wine measures Pope Sixtus V introduced for Rome's taverns in the 16th century.
Critics and competitions have followed our work closely. Roma Rosso has received 92 points from Robert Parker and Gold medals at the Berliner Wine Trophy, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and Mundus Vini. Cardinale earned 95 points and a Gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards, and Il Buon Bastardo scored 90 with Robert Parker. At The WineHunter Award 2026 four of our wines were recognised: Il Buon Bastardo 2024 won a Gold, Cardinale Etichetta Blu 2023 reached the top scoring band (93 to 95.9), and Roma DOC 2023 and Temula 2025 were awarded in the 90 to 92.9 range. Cardinale Etichetta Blu and Fojetta had already received the WineHunter Red in previous editions.
Design matters to us as well. Gabriele trained as a graphic designer and created every Gaffino label himself, including Braille text so the wine can also be read by touch. It's a small detail, but it says a lot about how we work.
Our wines are already exported to several countries around the world. We are looking for importers and distributors who want a reliable partner from Lazio, a region many markets have yet to discover. We offer organic certification, distinctive wines from volcanic soil, recognised quality and a price structure that leaves room for everyone along the chain. Clear commercial terms, consistent supply and direct contact with the winery are part of the deal.
Year of establishment:
2000
Number of employees:
UP TO 2 EMPLOYEES
Annual turnover:
between 250.000 and 500.000 Euro
Reference year of turnover:
2024
Export turnover:
From 75.000 to 250.000 Euro
Activities:
Growing of grapes
Manufacture of olive oil
Manufacture of wine from grape
Manufacture of wine of fresh grapes, other than sparkling wine and other special wines
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Company:
GAFFINO GABRIELE
Web site:
Address:
via Ardeatina km 24650
City:
ARDEA ROMA (RM)
Zip Code:
00135
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Il Buon Bastardo
Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark ruby red with a purple rim, good viscosity. A darker nose: blueberries and blackberries blended with earthy notes, rosemary, a hint of oregano, then dark tobacco, gunflint, liquorice root and a touch of ash. The palate is elegant and balanced, with silky tannins, true to the nose and always very flavourful, with a long finish of sweet liquorice.
Food pairing: younger Cabernet goes well with cured meats, aged cheeses and pasta with meat or game sauces. More structured vintages pair with grilled or roasted meats and with both feathered and furred game.
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Fojetta
Grapes: 100% Viognier
Deep golden yellow, bright, with good viscosity. The nose is intense, rich and fruity: yellow peach, apricot, fresh pineapple and mango, then marjoram, flint and a light iodine note. The palate is balanced and ready to drink: soft, warm, true to the nose and distinctly savoury. Long finish with intense, flavourful fruit.
Food pairing: Viognier is especially good with spiced dishes, and pairs well with white meats and with cooked or raw fish. It also handles bolder matches such as truffle and porcini mushrooms.
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Roma DOC Red
Grapes: 60% Montepulciano, 40% Sangiovese.
Intense, dark red with a garnet rim, good viscosity. The nose is intense, complex and deep, opening with blueberry, sour cherry and cherries in spirit, then revealing dried violet, spices (nutmeg, clove), dark tobacco, bitter cocoa and bay leaf, with a slightly balsamic finish. The palate is important and generous, already balanced: velvety and warm, held together by good acidity and, always, by the marked sapidity that comes from the soil and the sea breeze. The finish is very long, consistent and full of flavour. A wine of real structure and complexity that never loses its elegance.
Food pairing: thanks to its structure and harmony, it goes with red meats and game such as venison or wild boar, both in sauces and as a main course, and with long-aged cheeses.
Web site
https://cantinagaffino.it/en/roma-2/
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Roma DOC Malvasia Puntinata
Grapes: 100% Malvasia Puntinata.
Bright golden yellow with luminous reflections and good viscosity. The nose is intense and complex: yellow peach, apricot and honeydew melon blend with acacia blossom, candied citrus and honey, with hints of thyme and sage over a mineral background. On the palate it is enveloping, velvety and warm, well balanced by freshness and sapidity. The finish is long, elegant and persistent, bringing back the fruit and citrus of the nose. A wine that combines structure and harmony, showing the authentic character of its territory.
Food pairing: structured seafood dishes, baked or grilled fish, shellfish, white meats, risotto and medium-aged cheeses.
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Cardinale
Grapes: 100% Cesanese.
Dark red, slightly translucent. An intense and interesting nose: black pepper and fine spices, then red rose, fresh blackberry, red currant, incense, gunflint and sweet liquorice. Young on the palate, with freshness and tannins still settling, but very promising thanks to good body, balanced alcohol, and consistent, marked sapidity. Persistent finish that leaves a taste of sweet liquorice.
Food pairing: Cesanese pairs with lamb, roasted or stewed red meats, medium-aged cheeses (including pecorino) and game.
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