A tribute to the roots of one of the most iconic Italian agri-food brands and the communities where its founder was born and raised. To mark the 170th anniversary of the Cirio brand, Conserve Italia, Cantina di Nizza, and Azienda Agricola Il Botolo have created a limited-edition bottle of Nizza DOCG, a wine that represents the excellence of the Monferrato region.
The initiative celebrates the memory of Francesco Cirio, born in Nizza Monferrato in 1836, a pioneer of the Italian food industry and a key figure in one of Italy’s most significant entrepreneurial stories, which began in 1856. A journey that, starting with a strong agricultural vocation and an extraordinary capacity for innovation and connection to the fruit and vegetable-growing regions, has led the Cirio name to become synonymous with quality and Italian food tradition worldwide. Part of the Conserve Italia portfolio for over twenty years, the Cirio brand continues to be one of the leading ambassadors of Made in Italy, present in over 80 countries with its ranges of tomato products and vegetable preserves.
The exclusive Nizza DOCG wine dedicated to Francesco Cirio — designed to accompany institutional events and initiatives commemorating this important anniversary — represents the fusion of the storied brand’s history and one of the region’s finest wines. Made with 100% Barbera grapes grown in the 18 municipalities of Asti around Nizza Monferrato — the area traditionally best suited to this grape — and subject to rigorous production regulations aimed at ensuring the highest quality, Nizza DOCG is a red wine aged in wood for at least six months that expresses the excellence of Piedmontese viticulture. The project was developed by Conserve Italia together with Cantina di Nizza and Azienda Agricola Il Botolo, two companies deeply rooted in the hills of Alto Monferrato and united by the desire to enhance their identity, production culture, and winemaking heritage.
The bottle design, printed directly on the glass using an innovative screen-printing technique, evokes Francesco Cirio through the reproduction of his signature and the name of the first business he opened in Turin (“food shop”), thus enhancing the combination of tradition and innovation that continues to define the brand.
“For us, celebrating Cirio’s 170th anniversary means highlighting the roots of a brand that continues to be a key player in Italian agri-food. This initiative stems from the desire to pay homage to the places where Francesco Cirio was born and to the values that still guide our work today: quality, innovation, and a connection to the local area“, says Federico Cappi, Director of Retail Marketing at Conserve Italia. “The collaboration with Cantina di Nizza and Il Botolo perfectly embodies this spirit and demonstrates how Italian excellence can team up to tell a story that looks to the future without forgetting its origins“.
The initiative is part of the ongoing process of promoting Francesco Cirio, promoted by Conserve Italia together with local institutions, with the aim of raising awareness among new generations of his contribution to the development of Italian agri-food production and its global reach.
With this special bottle of Nizza DOCG, produced in a limited edition to celebrate its 170th anniversary, the Cirio brand renews its bond with the land where it all began, symbolically uniting the history of a great Italian icon and that of a region that continues to express quality, culture, and identity.
