Welcome to Mezzolombardo, small town nearby Trento (Northern Italy)! This is one of the best areas for the production of grappas, fruit brandies, liquors and wines.
This is due to a unique microclimate, to a peculiar kind of soil, to the clean air of the mountains and to sun exposure. The countryside surrounding Mezzolombardo is therefore recognized as “the best vine gardens in Europe”.
Still, this wouldn’t be enough without the combination of the best environmental conditions and the carefulness for techniques affecting each single phase of production, that is from the vineyard to the distribution of the finished product. Since the very beginning of the family’s story this has been the place where the Dolzans have run their business, a business that has now reached the 4th generation of distillers and wine-makers.
Many years ago they acquired the brand, the cellars and the villa of the local family de Varda. In 1678 this family was granted the title of noblemen by Leopold 1st, the emperor of Austria, Bohemia and Hungary.

The family’s commitment in the field of distillation officially began with Giovanni Dolzan, that is the current owner’s grandfather. In 1905, Giovanni presented Habsburg emperor Franz Joseph with three bottles of one of the grappas he had derived from one single vine: Teroldego. He was one of the first producers of this kind of grappa. From then on the business of the Dolzans kept growing and new fruit spirits, grappas, vodka, liquors and wines kept adding to the range of products. Under the direction of the today’s owner, dr. Luigi Dolzan, care and attention towards the product are even more intense, in the name of tradition and professionalism. “We are always ready to sign our products as we are fully responsible for them” – dr. Luigi Dolzan says. That’s the family’s way-of thinking, which also affects the way the company works. In the Dolzans’ opinion, the quality of products is an imperative and at the same time it is what make them so proud of what they do: this can be realized looking at the refined elegance of bottles. That’s why Villa de Varda’s products keep being more and more appreciated worldwide. Dr. Dolzan was recently conferred the Degree of Doctor of Science Management Honoris Causa at the Clayton University in Saint Louis, Missouri. Such yearly prize is meant to reward people known worldwide due to their professional skills. On his side, the President of Italy – Carlo Azeglio Ciampi – awarded dr. Dolzan the title of Knight of the Italian Republic. There is one thing dr. Dolzan is particularly proud of: his distillation system, the so-called “de Varda Method”. To be meant as the outcome of the expertise the family matured during centuries of commitment in the field, such system gives birth to a very special, refined, smooth and pure product. Today the firm is also managed by Michele and Mauro (Luigi’s sons): the fifth generation of Dolzans. Should you visit Villa de Varda, you are invited to visit the “Everyday tools” museum, a collection of more than 1600 pieces related with farming, wine-making and distillation since the 16th century to present days. This is the largest existing private collection in Italy.

A NOBLE TRILOGY CREATED
BY DISTILLING MASTERS
The expertise of a family that have been distilling for five generations and that take therefore advantage of a very long tradition in this field led the Dolzans to enter the market with a high quality vodka distilled from grain: Vodka Italiana. Vodka Italiana is obtained mixing the best distilling tradition and the most modern production technologies: extraordinarily clear, transparent and limpid, our vodka differs for its typical, smooth taste. Respectful of all market requests, to all vodka’s lovers Villa de Varda offers three different products: regular Italian Vodka, Lemon Vodka and Orange Vodka. Vodka Italiana is produced through the exclusive “de Varda Method”, the same system that enabled the distillery to earlier excel at the production of grappa. Starting from the best grain, highly selected and fermented, this vodka is the result of a triple distillation resulting in a product which is at 96% Alc./Vol., contains no impurity and is marked by a smoothness that is very difficult to obtain. After removing the “head” and “tail” of the product, that is the less perfect parts of the product, only the so-called “heart” of distillation is left. Vodka is then diluted with the pure water from the Acqua Santa spring in order to get a product at 40% Alc./Vol. This water springs from the clayey rocks of the Dolomiti del Brenta. Just like in all other stages of production, scrupulous attention is paid to the final step as well: the double filtration of vodka. Vodka Italiana is now ready for people to enjoy it. Lemon Vodka Italiana and Orange Vodka Italiana are produced from the same basic distillate added with fresh lemons and fresh oranges respectively. Fruits are dipped into vodka for more than forty days according to a very old family’s recipe. Hereby vodka absorbs all liquids and aroma. Thereafter it is filtered again to become brilliant and crystal-clear, ready to be bottled and launched into the market.