Eight centuries ago, according to Pier Crescenzi's chronicle, vines were already being grown at Gambellara.

And on those same green hills of the Veneto region, the Zonin family has been producing wines for seven generations.

It is here that the roots of this complex company lie: a company that now consists of 11 wine estates with more than 1,800 hectares (3,705 acres) of vineyards located in Italy's most favorable terroirs. At the center of the Zonin universe is the land, the soils of the estates-which yield some of the greatest Italian wines-and particularly those at Gambellara, where this family of small farmer has steadily handed down, from one generation to the next, a sense of the vine's life and its beauty. This commitment has brought the family to the very highest level of the Italian wine sector. It has been a journey between heaven and earth through a world of infinite sensations. And at the center there is always the land in which seven generations of the Zonin family have sunk deep roots.

For those who have a centuries-old history behind them and deep family roots, producing wine is not just work: it is also a duty.

It is a commitment Zonin made in the mid-sixties when it was realized that there was a need to provide the best wine imaginable to the largest possible number of consumers. Gianni Zonin was without doubt one of the first to sense this profound change in the market.

At 29 years of age and after receiving his diploma from the enological school at Conegliano as well as a law degree, he became the president of the family wine company. He assured the develop the Zonin family's estates. This project has always been based on a powerful idea: to obtain wines of fine quality, it is necessary to possess vineyards and emphasize the value of the terroir. Zonin has built and consolidated its success on its constant dedication and on its capacity to interpret the requirements of the domestic and international markets.

The Zonin family, the search for quality is the decisive factor in production. An absolute leader in the wine sector like Zonin has a duty to explore new horizons to provide consumers with products of ever-greater sensory value.

This conviction initiated an impressive process focused on two top-priority objectives: the renewal of the vineyards and improvement in the techniques of vinification. To reach the first target, Zonin began a major effort to boost the quality of the vineyards, planting hundreds of thousands of new vines and changing training systems. In addition to these technical operations, there was a desire to emphasize high quality native varieties, to exploit territorial potential and to improve the qualitative yield of the great international varieties. As far as vinification techniques are concerned, Zonin has carried out a massive effort to update its winerie- which are now among the world's most modern - and it has launched an ongoing training program for its personnel, beginning with the technical staff. This is because quality is for Zonin a mission that will permit everyone to enjoy the very best the Italian vineyards have to offer.