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The Grand Finale

have gone on to win Nobel prizes – it has also demonstrated combining a tradition that has become part of our history
how to communicate the appeal of the territory in practical with an ability to experiment with new products and to crea-
terms. To date, no-one else in Friuli Venezia Giulia has done te value for these in a perfect example of how to maintain our
so much so well. identity over time".
Nonino is a female-dominated company. However, patriarch We called it a female-dominated company for good reason,
and company boss Paron Benito has not let this phase him, on and the tradition continues: Francesca, Cristina's eldest dau-
the contrary, he has passed on the art of distilling to his dau- ghter, represents the seventh generation of the family.
ghters Cristina, Antonella and Elisabetta. Their first project Having graduated with a degree in Business Administration,
was nothing short of a small masterpiece: successfully fer- she then chose to spend some time overseas, in one of the
menting and then distilling honey, from which Gioiello was most challenging markets within which Nonino sells its pro-
created. They also introduced Amaro Quintessentia to the ducts: South Korea!
world, not to mention their Amaro and Grappa Monovitigno, Francesca is blessed with an innate elegance. When she
and a wide selection of other cocktail spirits. speaks, she gently moves her body with the harmony and
The sisters have also taken responsibility for dealing with poise of a ballerina, swaying to the rhythm of her own voice.
the markets: the fact that more than 50% of the company's Her smile and gaze draw you in as she tells the story of her
turnover comes from 72 different countries is a tribute to family, and of the philosophy which serves as the foundation
them. Cristina deals primarily with the distillation and the for Nonino products. She speaks without stumbling, in a
commercial side of the business in Italy, managing relation- delicate and musical voice, and doesn't botch a single joke.
ships with customers with the help of Antonella. Antonella is We watched for nearly half an hour as she effortlessly enter-
responsible for the Nonino Prize, and is also in charge of tained around thirty of her peers who are studying for a
marketing, communications and relations with the press, as Masters degree at the Univer- sity ... so far,
well as a number of foreign markets. Elisabetta manages the of Udine aimed at future tourism no-one else in
majority of the overseas markets, and is in charge of the managers. Everyone, the writer Friuli Venezia Giulia
internal management of the business. included, was enchanted. Quite has done
As their mother Giannola observes: "They have succeeded in charming, that Francesca. so much so well.

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