“You couldn’t ask for more”. From this remark, made by consulting oenologist Alberto Antonini upon returning from an exploratory visit to a winegrowing area in south-eastern Spain, a project took shape that would redefine Fantini Wines’ international footprint.
Valentino Sciotti, Founder and CEO of the Group, traces the origins of Finca Fella back to 2021, in a territory that had long attracted the Abruzzo-based company’s attention. The initial step was a joint venture with the Alpera cooperative, a strategic move that enabled the Group to assess the area’s production and commercial potential. Results were swift: the wines met immediate market approval, confirming the vocation of a district that had previously lacked full oenological enhancement. In 2025, a decisive milestone followed: Fantini Wines acquired the historic Venta la Vega winery, now the Group’s sole production facility in Spain, serving as the headquarters of the project and the operational hub of Finca Fella within the DO Almansa. «This step consolidates our presence in Spain and opens a new phase of international development, driven by quality and the enhancement of the most authentic terroirs», notes Sciotti. Founded in 1994 in Ortona, Fantini Wines is today a leading exporter from Southern Italy, with annual production exceeding 23 million bottles distributed across more than 90 countries. The Group’s business model combines long-standing partnerships with local growers and the integration of highly specialized boutique wineries, successfully balancing craftsmanship, quality, and scalable volumes. The acquisition by Platinum Equity in 2020 and the 2024 financial results – an EBITDA margin of 27.5% and revenues of approximately €84 million – outline a robust industrial framework within which the Spanish venture is positioned.
Ensuring reliability and performance
Bottling is one of the key technical pillars upon which the credibility of the Finca Fella initiative rests. The state-of-the-art bottling line – upgraded immediately after the acquisition of the winery – forms the operational core of the facility. It was designed according to a clear guiding principle: to ensure maximum precision while safeguarding the wine’s integrity at every stage of the production process. «The technological choices we have made were driven by the need to handle the product with the utmost care, minimizing any potential stress or alteration», explains Mauro Di Giacomo, Oenologist at Finca Fella. «Particular attention is paid to oxidation control: the entire cycle, from pressing to bottling, takes place in the absence of oxygen. This allows us to preserve the wines’ primary aromas and aromatic freshness, preventing any qualitative loss». Currently, three glass bottle formats are managed along a fully automated and carefully monitored line with a capacity of 2,000 bottles per hour. The equipment, supplied by some of Italy’s leading manufacturers in the wine technology sector, was selected «to guarantee reliability and performance», as the ownership emphasizes.
Pursuing perfection in every detail
The process begins with a Mas Pack depalletizer, which separates empty bottles from pallets in an orderly and controlled manner, preventing direct contact between the glass and mechanical components. The bottles are then conveyed to the rinsing system, where they are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized in preparation for filling. At the core of the line is a GAI filling machine operating in an inert environment, minimizing oxygen exposure and reducing any potential stress on the product. «GAI is synonymous with excellence and precision in the wine sector, and its systems ensure extremely accurate filling – Di Giacomo points out –. This is a crucial and decisive stage: once the wine has been bottled and corked, no further intervention is possible. Every detail must be flawless». Following corking, the bottles move to the fully automated GAI labeling machine, which guarantees consistent application and aesthetic uniformity. Visual identity is treated with the same level of attention as the wine itself. The compact and versatile APE case packer then ensures fast and secure packing, optimizing both time and space while adapting to different bottle formats: an important advantage for a diversified production such as Finca Fella’s. The final step is handled by the Mas Pack palletizer, which arranges the finished cases onto pallets ready for storage or shipment, automating handling operations and contributing to workplace safety and logistical efficiency. «We recently invested in both the palletizer and depalletizer to improve overall production efficiency and we are planning a further investment in a nitrogen and CO2 unit, along with the related distribution lines across the plant», the Oenologist reveals. «Bottling is arguably the most delicate phase of the entire production chain. For this reason, we continuously invest in advanced technologies that ensure precision, hygiene and total protection of the wine. Our goal is to deliver a product to the consumer exactly as it was conceived and crafted in the cellar, without alteration or aromatic loss».
