FIRST JOURNEYS - EUROPEAN EXPEDITION- PIN 22 OF 40
MARCONI 46 GIN - Poli Distillerie, Veneto, Italy
A ROAD TRIP WHERE EVERY STOP HAS A STORY
Sadly, this is my final Italian stop, and I’ve headed to Schiavon in Veneto to visit Poli Distillerie—the home of Marconi 46 Gin.
Before we talk gin, we need to talk wine, because Veneto is one of Italy’s most important wine-producing regions and has played a huge part in shaping the world’s appreciation of Italian wines.
Despite being one of the smaller regions, it produces more wine than any other in Italy, with famous names including Valpolicella, Soave and, of course, Prosecco.
Like Champagne, Port, Sherry and Cognac, Prosecco is now protected by geographical designation.
When this protection was introduced in 2009, the grape variety historically associated with Prosecco adopted its older name—Glera—to ensure that the name Prosecco remained linked to the specific production area rather than becoming a generic grape name.
This caused some controversy internationally, particularly with producers outside Europe who had planted the grape and marketed their wines as Prosecco.
The debate continues, but as they say, there’s nothing quite like a little “sour grapes” controversy!
Now onto gin.
Poli Distillerie was established in 1898 by GioBatta Poli, who was originally a straw hat maker with a passion for grappa.
Rather than wait for success to come to him, he built a small still on a cart and travelled from farm to farm distilling pomace for local producers.
From those humble beginnings, the Poli family created one of Italy’s most respected distilling houses. Over four generations, passion, perseverance and la famiglia have transformed a small mobile still into a world-renowned grappa dynasty.
The distillery is located close to Bassano del Grappa, the town that gave its name to Italy’s most famous grape spirit. Sitting at the foot of Monte Grappa, the area is shaped by mountains, forests and Alpine herbs—a landscape that strongly influences Marconi 46 Gin.
Named after the distillery’s address, Marconi 46 celebrates the northern Veneto terroir. The botanical lineup includes juniper, pine, mint, cardamom and coriander, creating a gin that is fresh, aromatic and distinctly alpine.
To celebrate my final Italian stop, I’ve created a twist on a classic Italian 75, combining gin, Prosecco and one of Italy’s most famous citrus flavours.
Arrivederci Italia!
From straw hats to mountain botanicals: a family legacy distilled in Veneto.
Italian 75
50ml Marconi 46 Gin
25ml Crema di Limoncello
Top with Prosecco
Serve chilled with lemon and almond cantucci.
The creamy limoncello softens the classic sharpness of a French 75 while still delivering plenty of Italian sunshine—and, naturally, a little bit of a wobble!
"Show me a bottle and I’ll tell you a story."