The Gran Signore of Grappa is dead: mourning for Benito Nonino
He was the man who turned grappa into a distillate of the highest quality that is appreciated all over the world. Benito Nonino has now died at the age of 90 after a long illness – and yet unexpectedly.
Benito Nonino was born in Percoto (Udine) in 1934 – and it was there that he closed his eyes forever on July 8, 2024. Just the day before, he had been taken to his beloved distillery, the place where he had started a revolution in the world of spirits. Although he had been confined to a wheelchair for some time, his death was unexpected. Now a new phase begins at Nonino: the time after the man who made grappa great.
Born into a family that had long been dedicated to the art of distilling, Benito Nonino had been fascinated by working in the business since his childhood. Years later, together with his wife Giannola, he took the reins himself and helped Grappa to an unstoppable triumph. In 1973, he created the first Grappa Monovitigno Picolit, with which he set new trends. He subsequently made the name Nonino famous all over the world and made it a byword for top quality.
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Benito Nonino also made a name for himself by founding the Premio Nonino named after him. The prize has been awarded several times to personalities who later went on to win the Nobel Prize. The legacy of the great revolutionary is now in the hands of his three daughters Antonella, Cristina and Elisabetta, who run the business in Friuli together with their mother.
VIVA NONINO: PRESTIGIOUS AWARD CEREMONY AND BIG ANNIVERSARY
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