All through school, Ilario's mind was on one day working on his fathers farm. He left school as soon as he could to do what he yearned. Ilario learned all the skills .associated with the operation of farming through hands-on experience, and thus has a practical and logical approach towards work that is to be performed. He grew up learning from his father and as such has maintained years of farming tradition through what he had been taught.

Ilario helped his father establish the vineyard in 1982 in the Buckland Valley. Although it was a dream born in his father, it also deeply ignited in the heart of Ilario, and he was determined to see that dream come to fruition.

It was also his fathers vision to one day have their own winery complex and cellar door, and again Ilario helped fulfill that dream. From his passion of working with his hands, Ilario worked alongside contractors to build the Michelini winery and cellar door.

Today Ilario's passion in the winery and vineyard is to maintain all aspects of the complex and make sure they are operating efficiently. His main interests are making sure the staff has the right equipment for the job, organizing bottling, marketing and promotion, maintaining all boundaries of the winery and vineyard, and generally to ensure everything is functioning smoothly.