The History....

The history of the Distilleria Gualco begins way back in 1870, when Paolo Gualco, formerly a cooper, founded the Distilleria Gualco. His son Paolo II, ex Garabaldino and longstanding mayor of the village, continued his father’s work, while the other son Matteo II, having built up a thriving silkworm farm, set up the Distilleria Gualco Matteo on his own. Duilio, son of Gualco Paolo II, returning to his fatherland from Argentina in 1932, followed in his father and grandfather’s footsteps. Bartolomeo, Matteo I’s son, also returned from Argentina, and joining forces with his uncle Paolo together they founded the Distilleria Gualco Bartolomeo in 1934.

Despite being small, it fast became the best known grappa distillery in the area, on account of the high quality of the grappa as well as the charisma of the distiller (not without good reason known as the “wizard of the grappa”).

Bartolomeo, who had no children, chose Susanna, Duilio’s daughter, of all his nieces and nephews, as the best suited to continue the family tradition. Thus Susanna found herself in the position to unify her father and uncle’s expertise and businesses and carry forward their wonderful ancient traditions. Later her cousin Benito Gualco (son of Matteo II) also ceased to distill and gave his custom to Susanna, who thus became the only remaining producer of the three Gualco distilleries. Susanna passed on her vast experience to her son Alessandro Soldatini and grandchildren Giorgio and Marcella, the current deedholders of the Gualco distillery.