The Grassi family with guests at the wine tasting session at Bottega Penang
By V. Sivaji
The Bottega Penang along Muntri Street hosted a fine wine dinner with a select group of enthusiasts.
On offer were wines from the I Fabbri Estate represented by its owner Susanna Grassi and accompanied by her husband, Pietro and their teenage children Vittorio and daughter, Ippolita.
The family is the 11th generation of producing fine wine (since 1600s) from the Tuscany region named Lamole where the land is located on a high altitude.
Due to the elevation of the land, they are able to get different characteristics of grapes.
“I am the first woman in the family to take up wine making. Right from growing the grapes, harvesting and packaging them, I learnt from my father. He had learnt the trade from his father (Olinto Grassi),” shared Susanna.
Susanna with her late father
The Grassi family are on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, Malacca and Singapore to promote their products.
“Almost 80 percent of our wine is exported to the USA, Canada, European countries like France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Austria. In this part of the world our wines are being exported to Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, Australia,
“My father Giuliano Grassi passed away in 2021 at the fine age of 92,” she added.
Among the range of wine they produce are the Lamole, Olinto, Terra Di Lamole, I Fabbri Riserva, I Fabbri Gran Selezione, Casole, It Doccio, and Due Donne.
Susanna’s great grand parents
Her estate also grows olive trees on the 15 acre wine estate.
Meanwhile, the food and beverage team at the Bottega Penang put out a splendid menu of Cured Pork Meat/Truffle Green Peaches/ Homemade Sweet & Sour Vegetables, Risotto, Slow Cooked Pork Cheek with celery, carrots, onions, and roasted garlic and the finale dessert of Dark Chocolate with almond, vanilla gelato with mix berry sauce.
From left – Gianluca, Susanna and Marco