Ilaria Petitto

The Path

Since 2020, Ilaria Petitto has served as Chief Executive Officer and owner of Donnachiara Winery, and since 2022 as Vice President of Consorzio di Tutela dei Vini dell'Irpinia. Those roles sit at the intersection of the estate and the broader regional framework, where continuity, identity, and local practice are part of the job rather than abstract ideals. Her position reflects a steady commitment to Irpinia itself: to its vineyards, its traditions, and the preservation of what keeps the wines recognizably of place.

The Work Today

At Montefalcione, near Avellino, the emphasis stays on local identity and on the distinct expression of each grape. “Our grape(s) are very ancient and rich of history...each of them has character.” That line defines the method here: respect for the varieties as they have been carried forward, and refusal to flatten them into one generic style. The work at Donnachiara is about drawing out the cadence of Irpinia and southern Italy without losing the individual voice of the wine. Ilaria Petitto also poured Taurasi 2019 at the Great Wines of the World New York tasting, carrying that regional voice into a larger room.

Signature

Ilaria's signature dishes include Resilienza, Donnachiara Taurasi 2019, and Donnachiara Greco di Tufo Aletheia Riserva 2021. Together they sketch a portrait of her aesthetic: a winemaking language grounded in local grapes, expressive structure, and the kind of bottle that carries its origin with unmistakable clarity.

In Their Words “I'm so excited to be part of the Great Wines of the World New York tasting. I'm going to pour my Taurasi 2019 with a big taste of southern Italy.” “Our grape(s) are very ancient and rich of history...each of them has character.”

Acclaim

In 2023, Donnachiara Taurasi 2019 earned 94 points. That result gave the wine a clear marker of quality, underscoring the confidence that comes from honoring a grape’s character rather than forcing it into uniformity.