Interview with Mario Fedrigo

We Meet Mario in the company, returning from daily deliveries. Mario is tall and very sporty, the typical physique of someone used to load and unload crates of wine. From someone like him you would expect much machismo, and instead what hits us of him is the big heart and the emotion in his eyes when he recalls the beginnings in the company, the years when the “lessons” from Remo forged his professional ethics which is very strong.

When did you start working for Farina?
I’ve been working for Farina since 1990. The company in which I was working before, had sold to other owners and was starting to dismiss the staff. Through common acquaintances, I was called by Remo Farina to try as a driver and deliverer. My test has been successful and I have been a member of the company since then.

What is a memory that you have of the Farina family?
Their warmth. I’ve always been treated as if I were part of the family. They are really loving people, especially Remo was, he was a man of his word and he knew how to explain how to do the job. He handed out his way of working and how to treat the customers. I called him the "perfettino" (perfectionist), because he was always elegant, precise and distinct both in attitudes and in the way of dressing. He was a very dear person to me. I keep one of his lessons: "Do what you think is right and do not consider what the others tell you."

What has the next generation changed?
The new generation goes towards innovation. Nevertheless, the way of working has not changed, but the qualitative leap was impressive, Claudio and Elena are to be admired for their excellent work.

An adjective to define Farina?
Family-like, it was at the beginning and it still is. This characteristic has not changed.

How is your daily routine?
I arrive at 8 o’clock, where I find the truck ready from the night before. Together with Sandro, Claudio’s father, we leave to make deliveries. Everyone has their own task: Sandro talks with the club owner and takes the cellar keys, while I start to unload the goods. We do not do as couriers who leave the load and go away. No, we arrange everything in the right way. When we finish the tour in the morning we return to the winery to unload the empty vats and reload for the tour in the afternoon. It is a fairly regular day.