SANT' ANDREA
As our wines retain the flavors of the island of Pantelleria , of Tunisia , we store not only the names but the same passion and determination of the men who began to cultivate the first vines.
To the memory of Andrea I Pandolfo , we wanted to dedicate the name of our company . With him from the island of Sicily, the small vineyards of grapes Zibibbo gave the first fruits, always with him, in 1880 Khanguet Races in Tunisia will become the new land of production of the family. Thanks to his dedication and that of his son John , ships laden with wine Pandolfo departed to serve the best markets in France.
In 1938 Andrew II , son of John, just sixteen, he continues, with courage and effort, to make grow the reputation and the quality of the wines until a terrible disease, phylloxera , arrives in Tunisia destroying all the vineyards. The dry grapes burned and the coal proceeds sold in the market in Tunis.
But never give up. From France came the first grafted resistant to disease and recolor it red and desolate lands of green vine leaves and bunches of grapes generous.
After all the commitment and efforts to make a comeback, the May 12, 1964 , the then President of Tunisia, Bourguiba Harbib, expropriates all the assets and property of foreigners in Tunisia , forcing us to leave the country and to divide between the France and Italy. Still a challenge, and once again my father, Andrew II, and my mother Elena again begin with a small farm: no. 1720 via Renibbio near Terracina that, with the harvest of 1968, will pay them back with the first grapes to make wine.
The first customers, the first bottles with handwritten labels, the first chestnut barrels and the wine becomes one of the top wine-pontine. In 1976 Andrew II left us , but his dream is now a reality, "Andrew" . Currently the company is run by me Gabriele Pandolfo, my wife Enza and my son Andrew III.