Inside the World of Organic Sicilian Winemaking
“Meet the Makers” is our portrait series celebrating the Italian creators and artisans behind Irene Forte Skincare, as well as those Irene admires for their creativity, precision, and shared devotion to craftsmanship. Each maker inspires us through their commitment to beauty, intention, and detail.
This week, we journey to the heart of the Sicani Mountains in Sicily to meet Klaus and Gunther Di Giovanna: fifth-generation organic winemakers and the artisans behind the white wine extract in our White Wine Body Cream and Helichrysum Toner.
Their family vineyard, nestled in Sambuca di Sicilia, has been certified organic since 1997. But the Di Giovanna story began long before that. In the 1980s, their parents, Barbara and Aurelio, consolidated and replanted the family’s historic vineyards, marking the beginning of a new chapter focused on quality viticulture. Today, Klaus and Gunther continue that legacy with deep dedication to the land, producing wines that are as thoughtful as they are expressive.
Inside the World of Klaus and Gunther Di Giovanna
1. What does being a winemaker mean to you?
Being a wine artisan means being a lucky man. It’s the joy of turning a passion into your life’s work. It’s also a responsibility. Choosing to work organically means choosing to protect the land and the future.
2. What makes your winemaking process unique?
Our entire process is fully certified organic. From the vineyard to the bottle, we allow gravity to guide the flow with minimal intervention. Every bottle, all 250,000 of them annually, is produced and bottled on our estate.
Respecting nature is at the core of everything we do. If we respect nature, we respect ourselves. That belief guides us every single day.
3. Tell us about the Gerbino Bianco, the wine used in Irene Forte Skincare.
For the White Wine Body Cream and Helichrysum Toner, Irene Forte selected our Gerbino Bianco, a fresh, fruity white wine. It’s organic, vegan, and beautifully aromatic, with notes of white flowers, peach, melon, and a hint of honey.
This collaboration with Irene has been ongoing and we believe it has a truly wonderful future.
4. What advice would you give to a young artisan starting out?
Start, and don’t give up. That’s the only way. Keep going. Be persistent. Trust the process.
5. A place that inspires you?
Sambuca di Sicilia. This land is in our blood. Every vine, every hill, every breeze from the mountains, it’s all part of who we are.
6. A maker or partner whose work you admire?
Irene Forte, of course. She shares our values of quality, nature, and tradition. That’s why this partnership feels so natural and so full of promise.
7. Your daily ritual?
Walking through the vineyards at sunrise. It reminds us why we do what we do.
Watch the full video here.
And discover the antioxidant power of Di Giovanna’s white wine in our skincare:
White Wine Body Cream: Lightweight, hydrating, and perfect for summer skin.
Helichrysum Toner: Refreshing, soothing, and enriched with organic white wine.
