I was a young boy when my dad used to take me with him in his long walks through the vineyards.

As a routine, we would regularly walk in the ” Pope’s ” vineyards as well. My dad called those vineyards that way because they used to belong to the Curia of Venice. Back in the 30s of the 20th century, my dad was the only winegrower in San Pietro di Feletto. He was the sole trader of the complete curia’s wine production. Later, in the 50s, he became friends with then Cardinal Angelo Roncalli, who was coming to San Pietro di Feletto during his patriarchal years to spend holidays. This family sentiment pushed me in 2018 to buy the di San Pietro vineyard.

Feeling thankful to those childhood memories, I decided to start production of the prosecco wine, that Pope John XXIII liked so much, using the same vines. The old vineyard was removed, and the new vines grafted with cuttings recovered one by one from the old vines to maintain the same old quality.

Roncalli wines

Pope John XXIII, ” the Good Pope “, was born to a peasant family in 1881, in Sotto

il Monte near Bergamo. He was ordained a priest in 1904 and a few months later became secretary to the bishop of Bergamo, Giacomo Radini Tedeschi. A scholar of the history of the Church, he was appointed bishop in 1925 and sent to represent the Catholic Church in Bulgaria and later in Turkey.

Nominated Cardinal and Patriarch of Venice in 1953, Angelo Roncalli became Pope with the name of John XXIII on 28 October 1958.

In fact, in his patriarchal years in Venice, Cardinal Roncalli enjoyed spending periods of rest and reflection in San Pietro di Feletto. He was staying in the ancient Villa Patriarcale, located near the Church, and would often go on long walks. The Villa initially belonged to the Venetian Countess Maria Walter Bas. Later it became the property of the Patriarchate of Venice by testamentary legacy.

The presence of the Holy Father in San Pietro di Feletto is testified to by a certified document of the Pope’s secretary Cardinal Capovilla. It records  Cardinal Roncalli’s visits to Feletto and his long walks around the area.

The town elders remember how the future Pope would often head up to the Rua parish church “panoramic terrace ” on foot.  He would stop to talk amiably, contrary to all protocol, with the people he met along the way.