Visiting Camillo Donati

At the end of September, I was fortunate enough to visit legendary winemaker Camillo Donati at his winery in the hills around Parma in Emilia-Romagna. His wines have been a huge success in the UK for many years now so he may not require an introduction but here comes one anyway...

After taking over as the third generation of his family's estate in the early 1990s, Camillo revived traditional ancestral-method winemaking, rejecting industrial shortcuts to craft authentic, living frizzante wines. Across 15 hectares of organically and biodynamically farmed clay slopes, Donati focuses on indigenous regional varieties, including Malvasia di Candia, Lambrusco, Barbera, and Trebbiano. Every variety is vinified individually, with white grapes undergoing skin maceration alongside the reds. 

His cellar philosophy remains uncompromising: no commercial yeasts, no temperature manipulation, and no mechanical filtration. Secondary fermentation occurs naturally in the bottle powered solely by indigenous grape sugars. The resulting wines are beautifully aromatic and textured whilst retaining a charming, rustic edge. Absolute bargains that offer a pure reflection of Emilia’s rich culinary heritage and capture an honest sense of time and place. 

Despite the language barrier, Camillo was warm and welcoming and clearly very proud to have visitors. We toured the vines as he explained his farming methods and winemaking practices whilst his friendly dogs followed.

Later we went to the cellar where Camillo promised to show just how well his wines age. It didn't take much convincing after we blind tasted a 2008 Lambrusco. Wow. Dark and earthy but still with some bright fruit notes and so much energy. Also surprisingly fizzy. Camillo explained that the Lambrusco and Malvasia cuvées have the best ageing potential so the first thing I did when I got back to London was put a case of each in the cellar for a few years. What a privilege to meet a natural wine icon and have him share pieces of his winemaking history. 

It's amazing that Camillo's wines are still so affordable in the UK and I think this is testament to his humble and unpretentious character. Here's an overview of what we currently have in stock...

Malvatica 2025

Grape: 100% Malvasia di Candia

Style: Sparkling Skin-Contact (Orange)

Profile: A aromatic sparkling orange wine made with skin maceration. Expect dried stone fruit, floral honeysuckle, subtle herbs, and a gently textured palate. It balances aromatic intensity with refreshing, persistent bubbles.

Lambaro 2025

Grape: 100% Lambrusco Maestri

Style: Sparkling red

Alcohol: 11%

Profile: A far cry from mass-produced commercial Lambrusco, Lambaro offers a rich, earthy, and rustic profile with deep berry notes, balanced acidity, and a crisp fizz. It’s an ideal partner for cured meats, charcuterie, and aged cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Ribelle 2025

Grape: 100% Barbera

Style: Sparkling Dark Rosé / Light Red

Alcohol: 13%

Profile: Ribelle ("Rebel") lives up to its name with bold energy. Crafted from Barbera grapes, this natural sparkling rosato delivers vibrant red fruit flavours, think tart cherry, cranberry, and wild strawberry, elevated by great acidity and fine bubbles.

Cinghio 2025

Grape: 50% Malvasia di Candia, 50% Trebbiano Toscano

Style: Sparkling White

Profile: This brand new cuvée is an approachable blend that pairs the floral, fragrant aromatics of Malvasia with the crisp, mineral-driven acidity of Trebbiano. Bright, fresh, and highly drinkable, all at a bargain price. Great aperitif.

Happy drinking!