A wine producer by passion and vision, Dario Stefàno likes to describe himself as a “non-farmer producer”: his connection with wine was born from a deep love for the land of Salento, its landscapes, and the millennia-old culture that wine preserves and tells. He has been one of the key figures behind the revival of rosé wine, helping restore prominence and prestige to one of the most distinctive expressions of both Apulian and Italian winemaking.

A native of Otranto, in Salento, he has transformed this passion over the years into a journey that combines entrepreneurial experience, academic study, and public service, making a significant contribution to the growth of wine culture and wine tourism in Italy. He was, in fact, the driving force behind the legislation that introduced wine tourism into the Italian legal framework, marking a decisive step forward in the promotion of local territories and their products.

He is a lecturer in Tourism Management and Marketing at the LUMSA University of Rome and teaches Wine Tourism at the LUISS Business School.

Throughout his institutional career, he served as a Senator of the Italian Republic for two consecutive terms and, prior to that, as Regional Councillor for Agri-food Resources of the Apulia Region. These experiences helped shape a vision of wine not merely as a product, but as an expression of identity, culture, hospitality, and the sustainable development of local communities.

He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his commitment to the wine and wine tourism sectors, including: the Cangrande Medal at Vinitaly in Verona, awarded as a Meritorious Contributor to Italian Viticulture; “Person of the Year” by Assoenologi at its 75th National Congress; the “Lifetime Achievement in Wine Tourism 2026” Award at the Food and Travel Italia Awards; “Man of the Year 2021” at the Food and Travel Italia Awards; and the “Vigna d’Argento 2021” Award for his contribution to promoting Italian wine. He is also an Honorary Sommelier of FISAR, AIS and ONAV, an Honorary Member of Assoenologi, and an Ambassador of the Wine Cities Association.