I n 1967, Giancarlo Begnoni bought from countess Rizzardi the historical winery Santa Sofia, in Pedemonte. Being a winemaker who paid great attention to the quality of wines, as well as dedicated and farsighted, he began the innovation process that he himself called “strategy of excellence”.

It was the early Seventies, a period of changes when most Italian wine, not sufficiently promoted, was sold and exported in demijohns; it was also the years when the first DOC wines were identified.

Giancarlo in Valpolicella was so longsighted as to make an important investment on quality wines, innovating the winemaking process both in the vineyard and in the cellar.

Today Giancarlo and Luciano Begnoni have given back a strong identity to Santa Sofia, investing on high quality labels and on the international market, but above all working side by side with those who farm the land and grow the grapes.

While selecting grapes and wines from different areas, there came the need to create a new international brand, which embraced all the brand values, which fulfilled with its style and elegance even the most demanding requirements of the market.

In 2006 Antichello was born, a younger and more versatile proposal than the historical corporate brand of Santa Sofia. Antichello is a new brand that carries forward the 50-year winemaking tradition of Begnoni family.