Our Family

Two Families Woven Together

Luigi Fabbro and Katia Nussbaum first came to San Polino in 1990. The land was wild and abandoned, but they saw its potential and were drawn by its beauty and the possibility of building something lasting. They made the farmhouse into their family home, planted vines, and laid the foundations of a winery grounded in excellence, ecological responsibility, and careful craftsmanship.

Alberto Gjilaska (Avni) joined them in the early days to help in the vineyard - and never left. His deep knowledge, precision, and dedication have been integral to shaping San Polino as it is today. His brothers, Mariano and Altin, followed not long after, bringing their own experience, energy, and enduring commitment.

For three decades, the Fabbro and Gjilaska families have worked and lived side by side, raising children, planting vines, and shaping the estate together. What began as a temporary visit became, over time, a shared life’s work.

Today, the next generation is actively involved, gradually taking over the running of San Polino, bringing fresh perspective and renewed energy.

What unites everyone at San Polino is not only the land but a shared commitment to its stewardship. It is also a commitment to caring for the vines, for the wines, and for one another.

Luigi (everyone calls him Gigi) is the “biological father” of San Polino, in that it was his idea. Born and raised in Friuli he knew all about making wine before he even went to school. As an adult he worked for many years on a Biodiversity Mapping in the Brazilian rainforest, the knowledge garnered from this adventure he brought back to the vineyard. Nature is synergetic and vines grow best in collaboration with other flora, fauna and micro-organisms. This formed the basis of our philosophy from the get-go. Now he is slowly handing things over to his sons while keeping an eye on the winemaking and enjoying the parts he loves best.

Katia is Gigi’s partner and mother to Daniel and Giulio, she was born and raised in London where she trained in social anthropology, giving her an “outside-the-box” way of looking at viticulture, the world of wine, and us humans-as-wine-lovers in the context of the present world. She acts as the glue to the household, trying her very best to keep everything in balance, people happy and the administrative side of winery life in motion. She deals with client requests and likes unravelling narratives, or, as others may put it, inventing stories. Hmmm!

Daniel is Gigi and Katia's eldest son and works in the winery and vineyard. His training as a biologist gives him access to understanding the importance of ecosystems and how to facilitate their coordination. He enjoys both the work in the vineyard and winery and is very much present in the commercial department, giving Masterclasses around the world to winelovers and experts.

Giulio is Katia and Luigi’s younger son. Trained in geophysics and experienced in seismic mapping, he has a strong understanding of soil science. His thesis on wildlife corridors for wolf migration in Tuscany helped shape San Polino’s perspective. He enjoys working in both the winery and vineyard, where he loves showing people around.

Shani is Gigi’s daughter, Daniel and Giulio’s half-sister, and Katia’s stepdaughter. She studied environmental geography and spent many years teaching in London. She has a son, Leon, who is studying World Politics at university, and she now lives in Spain with her husband, Marcus. She has recently started to work with us, helping us with our PR material, putting things into order and getting us up to date. She is a wonderful addition to the team.

Born and raised in Albania he studied agriculture and worked in his childhood and teens on the collective farms of the era. He has worked alongside Gigi for nearly 30 years and is an absolutely key person in the San Polino orbit. He is married to Bianca and they have 3 daughters.

Mariano is Avni’s older brother. He mainly works in the vineyards and there is truly nothing he cannot do. From grafting, to plumbing, to building a house or mending the tractor, he’s the go-to man for any job. He is married to Refie and together they have 3 daughters.

Altin is Avni and Mariano’s younger brother, just the loveliest person you could imagine, kind, helpful, clever and hard-working. He works mainly outside, is totally patient with his older brothers’ constant requests and a great mechanic!