The beginning of a tradition in Italy
History
The beginning of a tradition in Italy
Our family's story begins in the rugged hills of southern Italy. Giovanni De Maio was born in Torca, a small fishing village near Naples. There he made his own wine for family consumption, as was tradition at the time. Shortly after the First World War, he settled in Uruguay with his four children and, as soon as he could, acquired a vineyard in the Barros Blancos area, near where Casa Grande stands today.
Family consolidation in Uruguay: From tradition to a symbol of resilience
His son Gaetano continued the craft of viticulture and built in Rincón de Carrasco the large house that today gives our winery its name, surrounding it with vineyards. He sold the grapes and kept a bit of Muscat and Nebbiolo to make, like his father, the wine the family consumed.
Of Gaetano's three children, the youngest, Washington, was the one who carried on the family tradition. Since 1976 he has been the soul of the vineyard on Camino de Los Horneros. He grew up there and spends every day there. Back then, several families were dedicated to grape and wine production in the area. Today, Casa Grande stands as a symbol of the resilience of small family producers who do not yield to market pressures and economic ups and downs.
Family consolidation in Uruguay: From tradition to a symbol of resilience
Union with Francesca and the fusion of passions
Union with Francesca and the fusion of passions
Shortly after taking over the family vineyard, Washington joined Francesca, daughter of other Italian immigrants, Rachele and Giuseppe Dito, from Verbicaro, a town in the Calabria region. They brought with them a love for simple dishes—rich in aromas and flavors—from the local cuisine and many traditional recipes. While Washington was reconverting the vineyard and improving production with new wine grape varieties starting in 1987, Francesca was developing her love for cooking and art—two passions that today are integrated into the Casa Grande winery project.
From their marriage came Fabrizio, now an agronomist, and in the same year the vineyard reconversion began, Florencia was born. Grandfather Gaetano was still alive; at first, he looked skeptically at the arrival of modernization, but he quickly appreciated the virtues of the new technical challenges. Florencia studied oenology and in 2013—after Gaetano had passed—she began the wonderful adventure of setting up a winery in the old shed where he kept his tools. She started making her own wines, but now not only to share with the family—she wanted to offer them to an increasingly demanding market of consumers. It began as a small garage winery that kept the family spirit and artisanal work alive.
In just a few years, thanks to Florencia's studies and ideas and the family's collective effort, Casa Grande achieved growing acceptance of its wines in the local market. In 2017, exports to Brazil began and recognition from specialized critics arrived.
