About the Fantesca Name
The story of our Fantesca brand always begins with a reverent nod to Cirque du Soleil. Where else do teamwork, showmanship, artistry and humor come together so boldy as to take your breath away? Duane and I were inspired by the Cirque troupe and challenged to make both our wine and the experience of Fantesca Estate as awe-inspiring and as fun.
Cirque performances are rooted in the Renaissance tradition of the Commedia dell’ Arte, and that is where we found the “face” of Fantesca. La Fantesca, also known later as Columbina, was a sexy, fun-loving, smart and irreverent female character in the popular theatrical performances. Both the lover and equal of Harlequin, Fantesca could always be counted on to outwit the other players on stage and woo the audience – always with her trademark cheek. At a time when women were not allowed on the stages of England, Italy embraced Fantesca’s feisty, flirty, frolicking character because she brought wit, sensuality and insight to the characters of the “Zanni” in early Italian theater. The Zanni troupes were Italy’s most popular form of theater from the 1500s to the 1700s, and it is said that Shakespeare took inspiration from their work.
As the guiding spirit of our brand, Fantesca embodies the “sexy, smart and unpretentious” essence of Fantesca Estate. She’s sexy for being voluptuous, mysterious, free-spirited, and unapologetically desirable. Smart both for being crafted by a world-class winemaking team, and for giving those “in the know” a real edge – an insider’s knowledge of what’s intriguing, off the beaten track, and of excellent quality. We like to think of her as unpretentious for embodying a wine that is at once expressive while complex.
The bad-girl Fantesca character defied the conventions of her time and was widely loved because of it. Fantesca Estate speaks to and rewards the same iconoclasts and mold-breakers – those who are today’s trendsetters. From the addition of our winemaker, Heidi Barrett, to our innovative sister site Adopt a Grape to the stand-out bottle shape, texture and design, the wine crafted carefully from mountain fruit. These are integral elements of a story that appeals to the person who recognizes quality and wants something other than simply a well-known status wine; something surprising from a small producer...something deliciously unconventional.
The Fantesca story is nothing if not unconventional. Fantesca applauds the risk-taker and the bold move-maker. It thrives on robust curiosity and the unselfconscious enjoyment of life. For that reason, the Fantesca story is as much a history of our experiences, our property and the people who have produced our wine as it is a story of the alluring and fun-loving Fantesca character that personifies it.
Character from Within
How do you capture the essence of the woman who embodies our brand? By her signature, of course! Fantesca’s signature graces our website and wines as she would apply it to anything else she was proud to be a part of. Her signature is a handcrafted font that celebrates her easily-graceful style while capturing the fiery persona of our favorite Zanni character. Of course, we couldn’t separate her from her constant cohort and love interest, Harlequin, who encircles her in a hug through the etched diamond pattern – reminiscent of his famed costume – you can touch on each bottle.
Of course while what you wear on the outside attracts attention, it’s what’s on the inside that really matters most – especially for selective oenophiles. We invite you to pick up a bottle, touch it, then pour it and enjoy the fruits of many laborious days of love. It’s something we’re proud of, which is of course why Fantesca’s signature seals each bottle.
– Susan Hoff
