© 2025 All rights reserved
Franco Sasso - The Wine Professor
With my Vitinerario® I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with a figure whose oenological culture continues to make Rionero in Vulture (PZ) and the entire Aglianico production area shine.
Franco Sasso, known to everyone as The Professor, welcomed me with his usual warmth on a peaceful summer afternoon. At his side was his inseparable daughter Eugenia, with whom I share a bond of respect and sincere friendship. Every meeting with her is a precious opportunity for me, and her presence conveys energy and serenity, affectionately supporting me on my journey through the flavors and stories of Lucanian food and wine.
We are welcomed by the family winery, Eubea, where, in the lounge reserved for guests, the Professor's vivid and passionate story begins. A journey through time that, starting from the memories of his childhood, reaches up to the present day.
The first curiosity that arises spontaneously is to understand why everyone calls Franco “The Professor.” He smiles and recounts that at the beginning of his career he taught mathematics in Avigliano (PZ), in a special school, the juvenile prison. A tough but valuable experience that he remembers with pride because it allowed him to concretely help many young people and their families to get out of difficult situations. For Franco, in fact, school was not just a place for cultural transmission, but also a space for growth and character development. Today that nickname has taken on an even broader meaning: “Professor” not only refers to his former profession, but is also the spontaneous recognition of those who see him as a reference figure in the world of Lucanian viticulture.
Franco was born on 19/02/1939 and Rionero is his homeland. Speaking of his family, he gratefully recalls the affection he received and considers himself lucky, especially for the deep bond with his father. He preserves the image of a man attentive to personal relationships, a reference figure and a respected winegrower for his passion, seriousness, and honesty. It was from him, Franco says, that he received a fundamental lesson for life and for his career, having since he was young “breathed the air of wine.”
Looking back on those years, we see Franco dividing his time between attending classes and exams at the University of Bari and spending holidays working alongside his father in winemaking. This wealth of oenological knowledge has accompanied him to this day. Throughout his life, it has always been him, thanks to study and constant experimentation, who has determined the timing and methods of winemaking in the company.
At a certain point in his life, Franco recalls becoming fully aware of his oenological abilities, the result not only of experience gained over time and in the field, but also of a genuine love for the vineyards, the landscape, the scents, and the emotions they can convey. To all this are added meticulous work, attention to detail, and daily care—qualities essential in the cellar to create a wine of excellence, capable of being recognized and appreciated as such. In short, to do this job you need two fundamental ingredients: science and heart. The Professor gives me a vivid image when he tells me he fell in love with his craft, little by little, getting emotional every time he saw others moved by tasting his wines. In those moments, he realized he was halfway through a journey, a dynamic path made of intuition and satisfaction, which would find its fulfillment thanks to the support of his daughter Eugenia and the birth, in 2001, of Eubea's signature wine, the Aglianico del Vulture Ròinos.
When I ask Franco to tell me about a moving moment for him, he tells me about a trip to Switzerland, in 2004, during a tour with some of the best Italian wine producers, an occasion on which a sincere friendship was also born with Antonio Caggiano of Taurasi. In that context, he received a significant recognition. The Swiss Sommeliers Association, together with all the Italian producers present, raised their glasses to toast with Ròinos, thus consecrating this wine in the Olympus of great Italian wines.
At this point, the Professor presents me with a special edition: the Ròinos 100, an Aglianico del Vulture DOCG Riserva 2012 created to celebrate the company's hundred-year history (1922-2022). The bottle, in addition to being numbered, bears a commemorative sticker that contains some key words, symbols of this long journey: History, Passions, Dreams, Research, Emotions.
Franco enthusiastically recalls the first racking of Ròinos, a special moment immortalized by the brothers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani. The directors documented the operation and interviewed Franco, creating a television feature that celebrated and fixed in time the symbol of an excellent Lucanian product.
The Professor, recalling how affections are the most important thing in life, explains to me that Ròinos is not just a successful product, but above all a dedication to Roberto, his grandson and Eugenia's son. The name was born from the union of the “R” of Roberto, then still a child, with the ancient Greek word òinos, which means “wine.” Thus “Ròinos” was born.
That choice is not only a dedication to his grandson, but also contains a fascinating and poetic story. Franco recalls a summer evening when “my little Roberto” asked him to take him to the vineyard. There, the child began to embrace the vines with devotion and to talk to them and to Venus, the evening star. A moment so evocative and suggestive that it inspired such a fundamental business decision as the name of the wine destined to become the symbol of the Eubea Winery.
And in fact, every bottle of Ròinos bears this inscription on the back label:
“Dedicated to little Roberto who, from a star in the sky, flew onto a vine and made it magical.”
From the conversation with the Professor, the determination and pride of a dynamic, tireless man always on the front line, committed to creating a wine capable of reflecting his clear vision, his soul, and his tenacious dedication as a producer, clearly emerge. Listening to the story of Franco Sasso, his tales, opinions, and even his criticisms—always constructive—addressed to the world of wine at 360 degrees is a privilege that turns into a precious, almost didactic moment. An opportunity capable of enriching anyone culturally and of moving through everything the Professor has to share.
Luigi Chiera
You can also find this article in the magazine Il Lucano Magazine!
© 2025 All rights reserved