Terre di balbia is located in Montino, a district of the medieval gem of Altomonte.

During the time of ancient Rome, Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) nicknamed the center as Balbia, because of its epic wine called “Balbino”.

Tracing its origin to the 14th century, the village of Altomonte has gone through the influence of the Angevin empire as well the one of the noble Ruffo di Calabria family. An ensemble of Medieval alleys, a feudal castle, Renaissance monastic complexes, a Gothic church from the 1300s, and outstanding works by Simone Martini, Bernardo Daddi, and other painters from Giotto’s circle, makes this remote village an authentic treasure.

The village of Altomonte – as Calabria, in general- has made a name in wine-making history. In fact, the second half of the 19th century is marked by the prominent activity of local entrepreneur Cavalier Francesco Giacobini: a winner of many medals and accolades for the wine exportation of the most important Italian wines all over Europe.

Simultaneously, Giacobini revived the ancient “Babiani” wines from Altomonte, which rhetorician Atheneus had called “generosum et admodum austerum, et semper se ipso melius nascituro” (latin for “noble and very austere, it will always be better by himself”.)