The origins of the company date back to 1847, when the Colla family began cultivating vineyards in Santo Stefano Belbo, in Piedmont — a land known for great Moscato. In 1913, Paolo Colla was born in Diano d’Alba, a region of excellence for Dolcetto. By 1961, Paolo fulfilled his dream of producing Barolo by acquiring an estate in La Morra, creating wines recognized for their elegance and longevity.
In 1972, his daughter Marivanna married Gianni Gagliardo, a young man from Roero who quickly inherited a deep passion for wine. Two years later, in 1974, bottling became professional and, in addition to Barolo, Gianni introduced wines from his native land, such as Arneis and the nearly extinct variety Favorita, which he decided to revive.
In 1978, Moscato production began — a tradition the Colla family had never abandoned, even cultivating it between the rows of Barolo. This moment marked a symbolic return to the origins and eventually led to the creation of the independent brand VillaM.
In 1981, following Paolo Colla’s passing, Gianni took over the winery. Three years later, in 1984, Gagliardo Brut was launched — one of the first Metodo Classico sparkling wines of the region. In 1986, the winery officially became Gianni Gagliardo, adopting a distinctive new symbol: a falling mask, representing the depth of wine and its power to connect people, under the motto “In Vino Veritas”.
In 1988, driven by innovation, Gianni introduced new cellar techniques, choosing 500 and 700-liter tonneaux instead of traditional French barriques, while gradually expanding vineyard areas.
Throughout the 1990s, the company focused on local grape varieties such as Favorita and on vinifying the family’s historic vineyards. In 1990, Gianni’s second son, Alberto, joined the family project, focusing on vineyard work, which he fully embraced by 1998. That same year, after graduating in Oenology, the eldest son Stefano joined as well, bringing fresh vision and supporting the start of new land acquisitions for Barolo production.
In 2003, the winery began micro-vinifications of its Crus, carefully studying each sub-parcel to identify the purest expressions of every terroir and the best vinification practices.
In 2010, the third son, Paolo, joined the company after graduating in Agronomy. After training across different departments, he took on responsibility for enotourism and hospitality.
The following decade marked a new maturity for the winery. In 2013, the first two Barolo wines labeled as MeGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive) were released: Lazzarito Vigna Preve and Castelletto, both from the 2013 vintage. The following year, in 2014, the use of large casks was resumed, now tailor-made for each Cru, optimizing both vinification and aging.
Finally, in 2017, the family acquired Tenuta Garetto in Agliano Terme, a 10-hectare estate located in the heart of the best area for Barbera and the newly recognized Nizza DOCG appellation — expanding the winery’s reach to yet another iconic Piemontese denomination.
“We take care of our vines one by one, because each is different from the others. We carry out mass selections from the oldest and most interesting plants to preserve their original genetic imprint. We search for balance in each individual vine — which then becomes the balance of the entire vineyard, and of the wine we produce.”
