Your Hosts: Nico and Elena
Nico Pannevis
Nico spent the 1st 18 years living in different countries, predominantly in Kenya and Tanzania where his father Jimmy was a hotelier and grandfather Angelo a coffee producer. This provided Nico at a young age with personal experience in the hospitality sector and learnt to speak 6 languages. In 1989 Nico left Africa to follow in his father’s footsteps and further his studies in England where he graduated in Guilford and worked for renown establishments such as The Savoy Hotel, The Ritz Hotel, Mandarin Oriental and The Capital Hotels Ltd. in London.
Nico has always embraced sport which has been part of his life since childhood. He founded and co-owns Purosangue Athletics Club and PUROSANGUE FOUNDATION promoting clean sportsmanship with a big NO to doping on an international level. The club scouts, coaches and manages elite athletes that compete internationally and have won some of the most prestigious races in the world.
In 1997 he was awarded the Acorn Award as young entrepreneur in Great Britain in the restaurants and hospitality industry after which he moved back to his “Italian Roots” to start his own business and new journey with his wife Elena.
Elena Falvo
Elena, born in Rome, she spent the 1st part of her life living amongst the grapevines in Tuscany between Montepulciano and Cortona. Her father Ettore, a renowned wine producer; founder and former producer of Avignonesi winery taught her the ropes in viticulture.
A change in her career took her to the University of Perugia to study veterinary medicine however her passion for wine brought her back into viticulture and in 1994 she went to London to study at “The Wines and Spirit Education Trust". In London Elena became the wine buyer for The Ritz Hotel and furthered her career in wine marketing with Enotria Wine Cellars.
Both Nico & Elena’s common passion for wine, food, enjoyment and travel placed them on an inseparable path and they now live together with their 2 children - Sofia, Filippo and Boxer dog “Caio” & French Bulldog "Yoda" at Sant’ Antonio. Elena’s colourful touch in interior decorating and green thumb for gardening has turned Sant’ Antonio into a Tuscan pearl for guests to enjoy.
