Corte Campagnola - Comunità Europea Stampa e Comunicazione

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Bonazzi: il loro “passito” piaceva
ad Anastasia Romanov
n’azienda agricola con una tradizione e una storia invidiabile quella dei fratelli Bonazzi a Badin di Marano di
Valpolicella, in una posizione collinare panoramica dove lo
sguardo spazia fino all’imbocco della vallata in un susseguirsi di
vigneti rigogliosi.
Ma tra tante, c’è una bottiglia di vino che testimonia l’importante
vicenda vissuta dalla famiglia Bonazzi: contiene un vino bianco
dolce e delicato con profumi floreali, un passito veronese Igt chiamato Granduchessa. Ed è in questo nome che si snoda una storia
documentata da una fotografia di una signora trentenne seduta
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sull’erba: “La granduchessa russa Anastasia Romanov che visse da
noi da ottobre 1941 a giugno 1943 giunta qui con il nome di Nadia
Lombard”, spiega la didascalia.
Era la figlia dello zar Nicola II che venne deposto durante la rivoluzione russa del 1917. L’odissea della famiglia imperiale, che inizialmente venne internata in varie prigioni della Russia, ha riempito i
libri di storia: nella notte del 16 luglio 1918 Nicola II fu assassinato
assieme alla zarina Alessandra Federovna con il figlio Alessio e le
figlie granduchesse Olga, Tatiana, Maria e (dicono)Anastasia, per
ordine del locale Soviet, nelle cantine della casa Ipat’ev. E qui non
c’è più storia, ma solo leggenda,perché c’è che dice che Anastasia è
morta allora e chi afferma il contrario, chi ci ha scritto romanzi e
Vini
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Foto della granduchessa zarina
Anastasia Romanov nel 1916, e la bella
Villa Bonazzi nella quale soggiornò
Momento di controllo della fermentazione
del vino nella cantina Ca la Bionda
Particolare della primaria tradizionale
cantina di Corte Campagnola
chi realizzato film…tutte ipotesi di pura fantasia. Ascoltando invece
i racconti di Mario Bonazzi, che negli anni 40 aveva poco più di 10
anni, sembra che al tempo del massacro della sua famiglia,
Anastasia fosse ospite a casa della propria balia la quale, assieme ad
alcuni fedeli dello Zar riuscì a portarla in salvo e crescerla sotto
falso nome nella bella Svizzera.. Sposò in seguito il generale di
cavalleria milanese Lombard e con lui (assieme ai due figli) è
approdata in Valpolicella, durante gli sfollamenti del ’41, dove si
fermarono per un paio d’anni.
Adesso i fratelli Bonazzi hanno racchiuso la storia di Anastasia nel
diventata, in seguito e grazie al figlio Michele- padre dell’attuale
proprietario- una specializzazione per la famiglia Castellani. La località è divenuta interamente di proprietà della famiglia nei primi anni
Sessanta, ed è proprio in questo periodo che l’azienda ha iniziato
ad espandersi. Nel 1998 è stata restaurata e rinnovata sia dal punto
di vista strutturale, sia nella qualità e nella tipologia di produzione.
Vengono vinificate, infatti, solamente uve autoctone (corvina, corvinone, rondinella e molinara) provenienti dai propri vigneti, grazie ai
vino – che Fernando Campagnola, l’attuale proprietario, conduce la
sua attività, spinto da una profonda passione e indirizzato da una
ferma professionalità e da un’indiscutibile capacità tecnica. Ed è
sulla scorta di queste qualità che Fernando persegue l’obiettivo di
dare ai propri vini un’impronta personale, rendendoli unici e inimitabili. A questo fine egli segue personalmente tutte le fasi di produzione dell’uva, le vendemmie, la cernita e l’appassimento naturale
delle uve che diverranno Amarone e Recioto, la vinificazione e l’in-
loro passito “Granduchessa” fatto con l’uva Garganega, Castelli
romani, Pinot e Trebbiano: un piccolo tesoro di ricordi e verità che
viene restituito ai Romanov.
quali si ottengono ogni anno circa 70000 bottiglie di Valpolicella
classico e 30000 di Amarone. La famiglia Castellani pone grande
attenzione alla salvaguardia e al rispetto dell’ambiente: da anni non
utilizza più diserbanti, antiparassitari e anticrittogamici, e a ragione,
perché oltre all’ambiente ed alla rigogliosa natura nella quale cresce l’azienda, è anche il vino, che ha un’anima sensibile, che ne
risente i concreti benefici.
Cà la Bionda:
da oltre cent’anni una famiglia
unita dal “vino”
Corte Campagnola: azienda tesa
al rispetto dell’esaltazione delle
tradizioni famigliari
a fondazione della cantina Ca’ La bionda ,situata a Marano di
Valpolicella, risale al 1902 quando Pietro Castellani, di professione mugnaio, decise di acquistare una piccola vigna nel
paese natio, Valgatara, e di costruirvi una piccola abitazione che
diede in seguito vita ad una località che ancora oggi viene chiamata Bionda, da cui l’azienda prende il nome. La produzione di vino è
arlare dell’azienda agricola “Corte Campagnola” significa parlare di una cantina che affonda le radici alla fine dell’Ottocento,
quando Carlo Campagnola avviò la sua attività come viticoltore a “Gaso” di Marano di Valpolicella. Ed è proprio nell’antica corte
“Campagnola” – una splendida costruzione di muri di pietra e soffitti a volta, perfetta garanzia per un’ottimale invecchiamento del
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vecchiamento. È per questo che dalla Corvina e dalla Rondinella
coltivate in vigneti di proprietà nascono vini classici caratterizzati da
ampiezza e intensità di profumi, da rotondità ed eleganza del sapore, da armonia dell’insieme. Insomma vini unici, in grado di donare a chi li assapora – magari proprio nella sala di degustazione dell’azienda, immersi in un’atmosfera ricca di fascino e di tradizione –
delle autentiche emozioni.
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San Rustico il marchio,
Campagnola il cognome,
Amarone Gaso il nome
Degani: un’azienda
che trae la sua forza dai
metodi tradizionali
ono i Magnifici Sette della Valpolicella: Luigi e Danilo i patron
della vigna, Marco l’enologo, Enrico il perito agrario, Sabrina
l’economista, Gisella l’avvocato, Stefania la “straniera”…ogni
uno con un compito aziendale ben preciso, ogni uno ben inserito
nel tessuto dell’organizzazione famigliare e produttiva, ogni uno
reca un importante contributo al successo internazionale dell’èquipe. E i vini la fanno da padrone, alla grande, meritandosi encomi e
premi già dal lontano 1908, titoli che abbelliscono le pareti, vini che
sono il vanto della Valpolicella . La famiglia Campagnola, come
qualche altra di storica tradizione (ci vengono in mente le famiglie
Nicolis, Tommasi, o i Fraccaroli di Lavagno…)non è solo numerosa, ma anche pregevolmente attaccata alla propria terra, alla propria vigna, con la passione che contraddistingue il buon sangue del
vero “contadino”, sangue che diventa vino… e i “sudati miracoli”
nascono in campagna.
’azienda agricola Degani si trova a Marano di Valpolicella. I
Degani si dedicarono alla viticoltura fin dai primi del 900, ma
è verso i primi anni 90 che sono state modernizzate le tecniche di produzione e commercializzazione dei prodotti. I vigneti si trovano nelle vallate di Valgatara e Fumane e sono situati su
terreni collinari. E’ un’azienda a conduzione totalmente familiare:
l’amore per la terra e la passione per il vino fanno si che tutte le
attività, dalla raccolta manuale dell’uva, alla lavorazione del vino,
sempre di ottima fattura, siano eseguite con metodi tradizionali
da componenti della famiglia.
L’appassimento dell’uva per l’Amarone e il Recioto avviene ancora con i metodi tradizionali tramandati da generazioni , in locali
appositi e senza l’utilizzo di macchine essiccatrici. Lo sviluppo
qualitativo della produzione è quindi un fattore che va ricercato
proprio nella perseveranza dei Degani alla ricerca dell’eccellenza
attraverso l’insegnamento delle tradizioni.
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Foto della famiglia Degani
risalente alla prima metà del ‘900
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Pagina a fianco: un tributo all’uva e alla
vendemmia in “casa” San Rustico
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Giuseppe Campagnola s.p.a:
un enorme successo che
ha radici lontane
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Pagina a fianco in alto: moderni
impianti di imbottigliamento
Pagina a fianco in basso a sinistra: uva in appassimento
Pagina a fianco in basso a destra: panorama di Marano
erza “figlia” dell’azienda avviata alla fine dell’Ottocento da
Carlo Campagnola in località “Gaso” di Marano di Valpolicella
(insieme a “Corte Campagnola” e a “San Rustico), l’azienda vitivinicola “Giuseppe Campagnola” porta avanti da oltre mezzo secolo un’attività, evolutasi in espansione e produzione,avviata dai fratelli Giancarlo e Luigi in Valgatara. L’attuale titolare Giuseppe, affiancato dal padre Luigi, continua a sua volta con passione e dedizione
l’attività, consapevole, per antica esperienza, che se «i beni di famiglia si dividono fra gli eredi, l’amore per il vino viene tramandato
integro ad ogni generazione». Ed è con questa consapevolezza che
i Campagnola seguono le coltivazioni dei vigneti e selezionano le
uve. Un lavoro che viene effettuato rigorosamente a mano, fedeli a
una tradizione antica e radicata, che sa, tuttavia, far tesoro anche
delle migliori acquisizioni della tecnica e della scienza, attraverso
una moderna ricerca scientifica. Infatti accanto alla bottaia storica –
risalente alla prima metà del Novecento, con la tipica struttura in
pietra – e alla nuova barricaia fedele anch’essa alla tradizione, troviamo un attrezzatissimo laboratorio di analisi chimiche, fisiche e
biologiche, dotato delle più moderne strumentazioni, in grado di
garantire risultati affidabili e costanti. Ed è anche grazie al lavoro del
laboratorio che la tecnica dell’appassimento, così preziosa per la
produzione dei pregiati passiti della Valpolicella, si è evoluta con
tecnologie in grado di controllare il processo mantenendo la tipicità del prodotto. Un successo che ha indotto l’azienda a promuovere un consorzio di produttori per realizzare un impianto di appassimento delle uve da Amarone e Recioto che permettesse di realizzare un’operazione tradizionale in modo igienicamente perfetto.
Un ottimo esempio, insomma, di come si può (e si deve) far convivere tradizione e rinnovamento allo scopo di ottenere prodotti di
elevata qualità che esprimano al meglio le potenzialità di un intero
territorio.
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Sopra: Luigi e Giuseppe Campagnola
Sotto: particolare della moderna cantina
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Panorama dell’alta Valpolicella con
le cime innevate del Monte Baldo
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Villa Rizzardi a Pojega nota
anche per la lunga permanenza
dello scultore spagnolo
Miguel Berrocal
illa Rizzardi a Pojega: famosa per essere stata la residenza
dello scultore Berrocal per alcuni decenni A Pojega di Negrar
è famoso il giardino, ancora assai ben tenuto e visitabile,
mentre la villa propriamente detta è di epoca moderna, essendo
stata sostituita alla originaria nella seconda metà del secolo XIX.
Il giardino, realizzato alla fine del XVIII secolo su disegno dell’architetto Luigi Trezza, raccoglie in poco spazio diversi stili: dalle aiuole
di bosso a regolare disegno geometrico con un piccolo delizioso
ninfeo nell’area più vicina alla villa, si passa alle fontane con giochi
d’acqua e attraverso il viale centrale si possono ammirare tutti gli
elementi tipici del giardino barocco, mentre la zona più alta è
coperta da un bosco di piante d’alto fusto disseminato di finte
rovine e di fiere, secondo la nascente moda romantica. È perciò di
notevole interesse per l’abile sfruttamento dei dislivelli, la varietà
delle prospettive, la ricchezza di vasche e zampilli d’acqua, e
soprattutto per il famoso ‘teatro di verzura’ di rara bellezza, unico
nel mondo per il suo genere. Le statue del belvedere, del tempietto e del teatro sono di Muttoni. Durante i lunghi anni di permanenza in Villa dello scultore Berrocal, la medesima è stata visitata da
personaggi di chiara fama, artisti da tutto il mondo e la sua fama
ha travalicato anche i confini europei.
La famiglia Rizzardi possiede anche la bellissima Villa Rovereti,
poco lontana da Pojega, dove, dalla fine del XIX secolo vi hanno
abitato durante i periodi estivi. La villa ha anche una chiesetta edificata nel 1750 dal conte Giampaolo Rovereti, che fu Vicario della
Valpolicella.
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Bella e significativa veduta aerea
di Villa Rizzardi a Pojega, con il suggestivo parco
chiuso sul fondo dall’incredibile “teatro verde”
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Recchia: famosa per il positivo
rapporto fra qualità e prezzo
ra il 1906 quando Giovanni Recchia acquistò una piccola proprietà a Jago, sulle colline di Negrar, ai piedi del colle Masua.
Vi costruì la casa e si dedicò con impegno e passione all’agricoltura e alla coltivazione dei poche vigneti già presenti sin dal
secolo prima. Successivamente il figlio Enrico puntò decisamente
alla viticoltura tramandando definitivamente questa passione ai
suoi discendenti.
Quando Riccardo e Roberto nei primi anni ’70 presero in mano la
conduzione dell’azienda, l’estensione dei vigneti era ancora molto
limitata (5/6 ettari circa) ma grazie all’apporto di una serie di necessarie migliorie, ottennero da subito un vino di buona qualità.
Serietà, e passionale attaccamento alla propria terra, hanno accompagnato negli anni la produzione, che è notevolmente aumentata e
migliorata, capitalizzato ben 30 ettari in Valpolicella ed altrettanti
sulle pendici del lago di Garda.
I vigneti in Valpolicella sono collocati in una fascia altimetrica tra i
100 ed i 400 metri, su dolci colline,con pendii irregolari caratterizzati da brevi piani sostenuti dai tipici muri di pietre di Prun, costruiti a secco e denominati “marogne”. I vigneti sono coltivati a
Corvina, Rondinella e Molinara, intervallati da ulivi che forniscono
un’olio estremamente ricercato.
I vini ottenuti sono quelli tipici della Valpolicella (Valpolicella
Classico, superiore, Ripasso, Amarone, Recioto, Passito), mentre dai
colli lagunari, l’azienda ottiene vini giovani d’annata compresi tra il
Bardolino Classico, il Custoza e lo Chardonney.
La cantina è stata ristruttura ampliata e modernizzata a partire dal
1995. E’ da qui che la nuova filosofia produttiva prende vita.Un
connubio tra tradizione innovazione esperienza e ricerca che conferisce ai vini un carattere unico, che li contraddistingue e li fa
apprezzare anche per il giusto rapporto qualità-prezzo. Un’azienda
la Recchia che ha saputo, con caparbietà e orgoglio, ritagliarsi una
consistente “fetta” di mercato internazionale, quello attento soprattutto alla qualità legata indissolubilmente anche all’evoluzione tecnologica di ogni comparto.
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La campagna della località Jago è caratterizzata dagli olivi
che spiccano sopra le distese di prolifici vigneti
Pagina a fianco: particolari della cantina bella e moderna,
filari di vigna e un’artistica presentazione del vino Valpolicella
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Il Palio del Recioto a Negrar
egrar vanta una delle più antiche celebrazioni del vino: il
Palio del Recioto, che si svolse la prima volta nell’aprile del
1953 e fu un avvenimento così innovativo da far parlare di
sé persino giornali a tiratura nazionale come la “Domenica del
Corriere” il cui corrispondente, Giuseppe Silvestri, lo descrisse
come una gara di “pacifica rivalità tra produttori di vino”. Assieme
all’amministrazione negrarese fu la Camera di Commercio a promuovere questa manifestazione che allora si svolse in modo semplice: una commissione di esperti individuò il vino ritenuto migliore tra un serie di bottiglie avvolte nella carta di pane per celarne il
nome del produttore. Al vincitore venne consegnato un drappo
ricamato con il suo nome e la località dove abitava che però venne
conservato nella sede del Comune a cui apparteneva fino alla primavera successiva, cioè al successivo Palio. Da allora il Palio ha consacrato all’eccellenza del vino centinaia di produttori, promovendone al contempo l’immagine a livelli considerevoli.
Con il succedersi degli anni la manifestazione si arricchì di nuove
proposte che facevano da corollario al concorso enologico: complessi folcloristici, pesca di beneficenza, spettacoli pirotecnici e
avvenimenti sportivi., compresa un’importante gara ciclistica internazionale.
Già nell’edizione successiva, il 19 aprile del 1954, il “Corriere di
Verona” titolò “Folla enorme a Negrar alla sagra del Recioto”.
Dal 2006, da quando cioè ha preso in mano la presidenza del
Comitato organizzatore Valentino Viviani, il Palio si è proiettato
verso l’esterno cercando di superare, benché non rinnegandola, la
connotazione di festa paesana. La partecipazione al Vinitaly di
Veronafiere con un simposio riguardante il commercio del vino
rispetto alle nuove opportunità offerte da internet, la presenza di
uno stand di assaggio dei vini del Palio all’aeroporto Catullo e un’intensificazione dell’informazione, hanno fatto diventare il Palio un
momento clou di promozione enologica e del territorio.
Il 2007 si presenta con altre novità: un percorso internazionale che
prevede l’ospitalità di produttori d’oltralpe provenienti dal sud
della Francia, presenti con i loro vini fuori concorso, all’appuntamento enologico: una grande occasione per crescere confrontandosi ed instaurare collaborazioni in un’ottica europeista che vuole
lanciare la Valpolicella con le sue peculiarità in un più vasto circuito turistico.
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Giuseppe Quintarelli: il mito!
econdo quelle fonti preziosissime cui ognuno di noi attinge
per costruire – in bilico tra realtà e leggenda – la propria storia, ossia i racconti di famiglia, le origini dell’azienda agricola
Giuseppe Quintarelli – una delle realtà più preziose del territorio
veronese – risalgono all’inizio del Novecento e a Silvio Quintarelli,
il quale coltivava a mezzadria dei vigneti in località Figari, nel comune di Marano di Valpolicella. Una vocazione al vino, ma soprattutto
all’eccellenza: sembra che tramite il proprietario del fondo, il reggente di Marano, il vino prodotto da Quintarelli venisse già allora
esportato fin negli Stati Uniti in barili da cinquanta litri.
La vera svolta per la famiglia avviene, però, nel 1924, quando Silvio
Quintarelli acquista un proprio fondo in località Cerè, continuando
l’attività coi figli e la moglie e avviando la fortunata vicenda dell’attuale azienda agricola Giuseppe Quintarelli, che deve il nome al più
giovane dei figli di Silvio, subentrato al padre nella conduzione
aziendale negli anni Cinquanta, un periodo decisivo per le sorti non
solo dell’azienda, ma anche del vino veronese. È questo, infatti, il
periodo in cui prende avvio la scoperta e l’affermazione a livello
internazionale dell’Amarone. Un’ascesa che si assesterà definitivamente negli anni Ottanta e che indurrà un riassetto complessivo
anche dell’azienda dei Quintarelli, tesa ad ottimizzare la produzione solo nelle annate dalle quali poter vinificare il meglio, per la
costruzione di un vino assolutamente naturale. Il risultato sono
bottiglie di gran pregio: gli Amaroni dell’azienda Quintarelli arrivano ad una valutazione commerciale di assoluto rilievo. Giuseppe
Quintarelli , che è un faro inarrivabile della vitivinicoltura italiana,
preso a modello da tutti, in particolare da chi vorrebbe emularlo,
non si è mai piegato alle esigenze di mercato, non si è mai lasciato
condizionare dalle facili possibilità di aumentare la sua produzione , ha sempre tenacemente , con la caparbietà che gli è nota, preferito rimanere ancorato alla sola possibilità di poter controllare
personalmente ogni fase della produzione e della lavorazione dell’uva dei suoi vigneti, con i quali ha un rapporto di amore viscerale. Quintarelli porta nel mondo il nome e il profumo di una terra
generosa, cuore pulsante della migliore agricoltura veronese, esaltando in particolare il genio dell’uomo, i suoi travagli, le sue certezze, i suoi dubbi, le sue scelte, i suoi trionfi, e le innumerevoli soddisfazioni che lo hanno portato sul tetto del mondo. Giuseppe
Quintarelli, il mito!
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Particolare della bella
facciata della chiesa di Negrar
La gara ciclistica che rappresenta
l’anima sportiva del Palio del Recioto
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Significativa immagine di
Giuseppe Quintarelli in “meditazione”
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Tommaso Bussola: la vittoria Mazzi: un’antica famiglia con il
della pazienza gusto del buono e del bello
a storia di Tommaso Bussola nasce e si sviluppa nello splendido territorio della Valpolicella. Nel 1977 Tommaso inizia a
lavorare nella piccola azienda vinicola dello zio Giuseppe. E’
grazie alla sua passione, alla sua caparbietà, alla sua energia, che riesce a far conoscere ed apprezzare l’azienda a livello nazionale
prima, e in tutto il mondo, poi. Nei primi anni di attività Tommaso
ricalca fedelmente le orme della tradizione, i vini che ottiene portano il marchio bg, ovvero le iniziali dello zio, Bussola Giuseppe. Ma
nel 1983 Tommaso sceglie di intraprendere una nuova sfida: puntare soprattutto sulla qualità del prodotto. Inizia così a curare personalmente e in maniera particolare la selezione delle uve destinate alla produzione dell’Amarone e del Recioto. La strada è quella
giusta, e lo confermano gli ottimi riconoscimenti ottenuti fin dai
primi concorsi enologici. L’avventura continua…nel 92/93 viene
costruita la nuova cantina e nello stesso periodo vengono introdotte le prime barriques, dove i vini possono ultimare le loro fermentazioni, in un processo qualitativo in costante miglioramento. I
nuovi vini così ottenuti vengono battezzati con la nuova etichetta
tb, che si affiancherà al tradizionale e storico marchio bg. Nel ‘95
anche la moglie di Tommaso, Daniela, si fa “contagiare” dalla passione del marito per l’enologia e fa il suo ingresso definitivo nell’azienda che da allora ha continuato ad espandersi. Basti pensare che
quando Tommaso iniziò l’attività venivano prodotte 1000 bottiglie,
si è passati alle 30000 del 1995, fino ad arrivare alle oltre 100mila di
oggi…una costante crescita produttiva che si è sempre accompagnata ad una puntigliosa orgogliosa e vittoriosa scelta di qualità.
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Sartori: una delle cantine che
hanno esaltato la storia
della Valpolicella
ietro Sartori nel 1898 acquistò la seicentesca Villa Maria, già
proprietà dei conti Murari Brà, nell’omonima frazione di
Negrar. Ben presto i vini prodotti nelle cantine della prestigiosa dimora incontrarono i favori di una sempre crescente clientela
e Regolo, figlio di Pietro, potenziò di conseguenza l’attività vitivinicola.
I figli di Regolo, Pier Umberto e Franco, negli anni ’60 portarono
l’azienda alla ribalta internazionale in una continua ascesa dell’attività di esportazione dei vini veronesi.
Oggi sono i loro figli, Andrea, Luca e Paolo, quarta generazione della
famiglia, a proseguire nella conduzione dell’azienda vitivinicola
attingendo dall’esperienza maturata dalla famiglia negli anni e
seguendo con attenzione i rinnovamenti tecnologici.
Infatti nel 2005 è stata ristrutturata la cantina sotterranea ed
ammodernato l’impianto di imbottigliamento nell’ottica di un continuo aggiornamento dello standard qualitativo della produzione.
Dal 2001 la Casa Vinicola Sartori ha fatto un accordo operativo con
la Cantina Sociale di Colognola ai Colli (2.300 ettari di vigneto nelle
zone del Valpolicella e del Soave): una svolta tra l’imprenditoria
moderna e il modello produttivo a conduzione familiare che ha
consentito programmi di sviluppo, con conseguenti importanti
investimenti commerciali e strutturali che favoriscono una produzione destinata per il 75% al mercato estero in via di espansione
(Russia, Paesi Scandinavi, Giappone, Israele).
La famiglia Sartori si è sempre dimostrata attenta alla cultura e storia del territorio aprendo le porte di Villa Maria e del suo splendido parco ad iniziative culturali e sportive.
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’azienda agricola Mazzi Roberto e figlio si colloca a San Peretto di
Negrar, in una caratteristica corte medievale dominata da un
mulino ad acqua del Cinquecento (che la famiglia Mazzi mantiene così intatto da garantirgli un posto ufficiale tra i musei etnografici
di valore storico e documentario del veronese come museo dell’arte
molitoria). Vestigia antiche, dunque, che rispecchiano il plurisecolare
insediamento in Valpolicella della famiglia di Gesuina Dall’Ora (18991982), la madre di Roberto Mazzi, attuale titolare dell’azienda insieme
ai figli Stefano, Antonio e Roberta. Per quanto riguarda la vinificazione
con vitigni autoctono della Valpolicella nell’attuale cantina settecentesca le origini risalgono, invece, all’Ottocento. Un periodo di grande
incremento della coltura della vite che indusse Angelina Dall’Ora
(1866-1926) a “rivoluzionare” in tal senso la conduzione dell’attività
agricola. Un’attenzione alle peculiarità del territorio che non venne
mai tradita, tutt’altro: basti pensare che nell’agosto del 1933 il fratello
di Gesuina, Gaetano Dall’Ora, fu tra i soci fondatori della cantina
sociale di Negrar. Se queste sono le vicende più o meno remote dell’azienda e della famiglia Mazzi, di non meno interesse sono gli ultimi
decenni. Negli anni Sessanta, terminati gli studi agrari, Roberto Mazzi
iniziò ad imbottigliare con etichetta Sanperetto i prodotti dei suoi
vigneti.Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Amarone e Recioto sono i “figli”
dei fondi di Calcarole, Castel, Piega, San Peretto e Villa. Prodotti di grande qualità e carattere che dal 1990 si possono gustare anche
nell’Agriturismo “Antica Corte al Molino”, dove la famiglia Mazzi unisce le forze per proporre i sapori tradizionali della Valpolicella. Un ottimo modo per scoprire i prodotti di un’azienda sempre più conosciuta e apprezzata a livello internazionale.
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Ve r o n e s i
La Cantina è meta di visite guidate turistiche ed anche di scolaresche di ogni età a cui viene illustrata la storia dell’azienda e spiegati i processi di vinificazione attraverso un interessante percorso che
contribuisce ad una conoscenza di particolare interesse vitivinicolo della Valpolicella.
Villa Gesi: una bomboniera di
intima ospitalità
illa Gesi è un grazioso bed and breakfast immerso nel verde
di Negrar. Originariamente era una casa rurale costruita con
pietra bianca locale. La proprietaria Patrizia Gesino, nel compiere l’opera di ristrutturazione, ha cercato di conservare , valorizzando il più possibile, il fascino antico dello stabile. Ogni stanza è
infatti arredata con vecchi mobili ottocenteschi, debitamente
ristrutturati, ai quali sono stati aggiunti i confort moderni. Il punto
di forza di Villa Gesi è senz’ombra di dubbio il cibo. L’aperitivo offre
la possibilità di gustare gli eccellenti vini della Valpolicella, accompagnati da una serie di “stuzzichini” locali (salame, soppressa e formaggi tipici).
I primi e i secondi piatti, preparati con cura dalla signora Gesino e
dal resto dello staff, permettono di assaporare le specialità della
zona.
Villa Gesi nasce dal desiderio di offrire un’accoglienza che metta al
centro il cliente come persona, il suo bisogno di sentirsi benvenuto
e considerato non come numero o fonte di introito, bensì come un
amico al quale è bello raccontare la storia della Valpolicella e l’origine dei suoi deliziosi prodotti enogastronomici. Così, tra una torta di
mele appena sfornata, un bicchiere di Recioto e una macedonia di
frutta fresca, i clienti di tutte le nazionalità possono rilassarsi e fare
amicizia.
V
Sopra: l’antico mulino di casa Mazzi
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Sotto: Tommaso in un locale di appassimento
Un’ immagine di Andrea Sartori in “degustazione”
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Pagina 252
Le Ragose: il prezioso nettare
spremuto dai sassi di Arbizzano
na landa abbandonata sulle colline di Arbizzano di
Valpolicella: queste erano Le Ragose nel 1969 quando
Arnaldo Galli acquistò il podere da coltivare a vigneto.
Nato a Longarone da una famiglia di geometri e ingegneri, diventato enologo per pura passione, copriva ogni mattina con la bicicletta i 40 chilometri che lo dividevano dall’Istituto di Conegliano.
Quando ebbe la fortuna di sposare Marta, con lei iniziò a girare per
l’Italia, sia per studiare a fondo tecnologie di coltivazioni e vinificazioni, quanto per proporsi quale dirigente d’azienda.
Fu la Cantina Sociale di Monteforte d’Alpone ad offrirgli la direzione, ed in quel tempo l’Arnaldo aveva già tre figli e il suo pensiero
era ormai esclusivamente rivolto alla creazione di un’azienda tutta
sua.
L’acquisto di un terreno scosceso, sassoso, abbandonato ma con
una larga vista mozzafiato sulla Valpolicella fu la loro dannazione e
fortuna insieme.
Nel 1963 la loro famiglia subì un grosso colpo con la perdita di tanti
affetti nella tragedia del Vajont che cancellò in un sol colpo le vite
di numerosi parenti.
Nel ’66 nacque Marco, oggi dottore in agraria e tecnico delle Ragose,
tre anni dopo, nel 1969, grazie anche alla tenacia di mamma Marta,
in un periodo in cui la terra si abbandonava, i coniugi Galli decisero di andare controcorrente e piantare un vigneto alle Ragose con
l’impulso di creare successivamente un vino di qualità superiore.
Dissodare e rendere fertile quel terreno fu veramente una scommessa ma soprattutto una grande fatica: la fatica continua ma la
scommessa è vinta. Nel giro di una decina d’anni l’azienda è divenuta una delle più conosciute in Italia e nel mondo. E a tutt’oggi i
premi vinti non si contano più. C’è da sottolineare inoltre che
Arnaldo è sempre stato un appassionato d’arte moderna e negli
anni ha creato un’importante collezione dei più noti pittori. A
mamma Marta, è stato dedicato un vino, forse il più prezioso, così
come la sua presenza, il suo esempio e la sua filosofia di vita sono
stati preziosi per i suoi figli.
U
I fratelli Galli
Sul fondo la Sengia Sbusa: il possente
monolito, immerso nel verde della collina orientale
sopra Negrar, avvolto da un alone di misteriose leggende popolari
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HISTORIC VALPOLICELLA: THE QUEEN
Rather than one valley, Valpolicella is a series of small valleys, gradually sloping towards the south from the Lessini mountains to the River Adige , and
from the hills behind Verona to Monte Baldo. Favoured by an excellent climate, by the charm of the landscape and the presence of widespread water
springs, Valpolicella has always been densely populated, ever since the most
ancient time. Since the Renaissance period, it has been chosen as a holiday
“resort” by many noble Veronese and Venetian families, who in this area have
built elegant classical villas surrounded by gardens and parks.
This noble and harmonic equilibrium among agrarian landscapes - including
vineyards and olive groves, stony walls and rural courtyards-, combined with a
serene natural environment made up of round hills with gentle slopes intercalated by streams, woods and meadows, plus a rich historical and artistic tradition ( with dozens of ancient churches and just as many Venetian villas ) make
it a land with an extraordinary charm: an elective place for Italian culture.
Ever since ancient times Valpolicella has been appreciated for the production of
high quality wines and for the ability in the processing of marble and stone,
activities that to this day are still at the basis of the local economy: they have
been preserved by adapting them to the needs of new times, without making
them lose their precious peculiarities. Today, just like at the time of the Roman
Emperor Augustus, the Valpolicella wine is of great excellence and is obtained
through the withering of the grapes. To this day the red marble of Verona is
appreciated all over the world and the stone slabs, which were used to build
the Arena of Verona and many Venetian villas, have conquered the most modern of architectural styles. Valpolicella is a truly hospitable land: once upon a
time it welcomed aristocrats, poets and artists; today it has widespread modern
accommodation and restaurant facilities which are wonderfully integrated in
the surrounding environment.
The history of the Valpolicella region starts a long way back as the first traces
of human presence in the area date back to over a hundred thousand years ago.
They were discovered in the proximity of the natural bridge of Veja. Slightly
subsequent were the human traces in Cave of Fumane, which was inhabited practically without interruptions- for over fifty thousand years: first by
Neanderthal Man and then by Homo Sapiens. With the shift from hunting to
agriculture, that is from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic era, the human traces
became more widespread, but less accurate. On the contrary, the Bronze Age
is very well documented by a series of fortified villages called “castellieri”
which were built on the high grounds of the Valpolicella region in the second
millennium B.C. Many were also the villages built during the Iron Age (first
millennium B.C.) both in the mountainous areas and at the hills’foot or in the
proximity of the River Adige. Some grape seeds of cultivated grapevines, dating
back approximately 2500 years, were discovered in a small house close to a
potter shop in Castelrotto.
During the same period, and during the Roman domination too, the
Valpolicella region was inhabited by a people, the Arusnati, who possessed a
certain degree of independence and had their own gods who were unknown to
the rest of the Roman world. The production and trade of wine and stones for
construction were thriving. The remains of two colossal villas of the late
Empire were discovered: beautiful mosaic floors in Villa Negrar and the rural
part of another colossal villa, located between San Pietro and Fumane, where
some rooms have a hypocaust heating system, evidently used to dry products,
almost certainly to wither grapes.
A few centuries later churches and chapels would be standing in the place of
temples: in San Giorgio the Roman votive stones were re-used as capitals or
bases of pillars, as proven by the inscriptions on the small columns of the ciborium. But the continuity with the ancient world is common for many other
churches of the area, churches that were all rebuilt after the disastrous earthquake in 1117. All the current settlements were already mentioned on documents of the twelfth century and formed a net of approximately thirty small
rural towns that had to come to grips with feudal lords first, and then with the
municipal district of Verona. It was the very municipal district of Verona which
gave Valpolicella its name.
The seigniory of the Scaligeri came after the rule of the “Comune” di Verona.
In 1311 Federico della Scala was nominated Count of Valpolicella by his
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cousin Cangrande della Scala and during the following fifteen years he
arranged buildings in various places and renovated and enlarged the castle of
Marano. In 1326 he was involved in a conspiracy against Cangrande who
exiled him to Genoa.
With the crisis and fall of the della Scala ruling family, the Valpolicella region,
just as the rest of the province, fell under the rule of the Visconti family for a
few years and later became part of the Republic of Venice for almost four centuries, until the fall of the Venetian Seigniory in1797.
The age of the Serenissima Republic was a period of development for the
Venetian villas: approximately one hundred of them were built, especially in
the piedmont strip and on the first hills, close to the River Adige or to the
main roads, each one with a beautiful elegant palace, some large country cottages, a garden with fountains and a “brolo” (a field cultivated with vineyards
and fruit orchards) surrounded by a tall wall. Sometimes there would also be a
private chapel, but with a public entrance, and during the eighteenth century
the fashion of tree-lined roads, mostly cypresses, started spreading.
In the meantime, as the population grew, numerous parish churches were
rebuilt and parishes were created, where each church was ruled by a curate,
who was paid by the congregation. The Vicariate of Valpolicella erected its
own building in the centre of San Pietro in Cariano.
Around 1630 the terrible scourge of the plague hit Valpolicella and all of
Italy: in one year’s time more than half the people of the area had died, so
that it took even more than half a century to get back to the previous demographic and economic level.
The end of the Republic and the descent of Napoleon Bonaparte down to Italy
provoked a deep crisis in the aristocratic class. New bourgeois families of
traders and financiers would make a name for themselves, but life in the countryside did not change. The thirty rural districts were reduced to fewer than
ten and after the Congress of Vienna the Austrian domination started: it did
not leave deep traces in the area, if not for the construction of some defensive
complexes around the Chiusa of Ceraino.
The nineteenth century was a hard century for the peasants: the years of
famine were frequent and serious diseases -that affected grapevines, silkworms
and olive trees- decimated the harvests.
Though with a certain delay, the emigration of the second half of the century
interested the Valpolicella region as well.
In the greater estates, next to the traditional and prevailing cultivation of fruit
trees and grapevines, the practice of cultivating specialized grapevines started
to spread: the first modern wineries and winegrowers associations were established and the wine of Valpolicella started facing the scrutiny of the great international reviews, such as Paris or Vienna, for example. At the end of the century a great phylloxera epidemic broke out and forced people to replant all the
vineyards: the landscape changed and regular rows of grapevines supported by
stakes and bowers took the place of vines tied up round trees such as elms, ash
trees and maples.
The Great War of 1915-18 was keenly felt, both because it practically eliminated generations of young people and because the front line was very close.
During the twenty years between the two wars, which saw the affirmation of
Mussolini’s regime, after violent social clashes in many areas between the
white leagues of the Popular Party and the agrarians supported by the Fascist
Party, cultivated fields extended even to marginal areas, slopes were terraced
again with the construction of stony walls and the mechanization of agriculture
spread.
During World War Two the Valpolicella region housed a series of German military headquarters in many of its villas, while the Resistance movement spread
and operated especially in the mountainous areas.
In the post war era, after about a decade of neglecting the land and the traditional crops, agriculture experienced a slow but uninterrupted recovery,
entrusted to fruit farming at first, then to a constant, increasing appreciation of
quality wine and hence of winegrowing.
With the urban expansion tied to the economic boom, Valpolicella became the
prestigious residential area of Verona: this provoked a massive urbanization of
some flat areas, but left the hills, the smaller valleys and the mountainous
regions intact, so that, once entered in the heart of the valley, there are count-
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Va l l i
less paths and corners in which to plunge oneself in order to enjoy a unique
landscape.
WORTH VISITING
NATURAL SITES
Bridge of Veja
Located between the Valpolicella and the Valpantena valleys and easily reachable from the valley of Negrar, it is an impressive natural bridge created by
water erosion, which is fascinating for the magnificence of the scenery and for
the quickness with which, in just a few steps, one can travel from the present
to the very ancient past. Once, before the vault collapsed, an entire tribe used
to live there. Known by many Italian artists, and probably by Dante Alighieri
too, it has been represented in paintings and prints for centuries.
Park of Molina Waterfalls
At the end of the valley of Fumane, close to the small village of Fumane, a
natural park was created which is part of the Lessinia Park.It lies in an area
where, because of a particular geological situation, the streams form impressive
waterfalls that can be seen and appreciated thanks to well equipped trails
allowing one to plunge oneself in the woods and in the tranquility of nature.
The village of Molina, is one of the most striking examples of stone villages,
where each architectural element is built through a masterly use of stone slabs.
Covoli (karstic caves) of Marano
North west of Marano di Valpolicella, on the watershed with the valley of
Fumane, two caves have been discovered (Coalo del Dialo and Buso Streto),
which had been used during prehistoric times as a refuge and a burial place:
they are two karstic caves rich in calcareous concretions that can be reached
going along a striking trail through woods and meadows.
Monte Pastello
The unmistakable profile of the wounded mountain (the wounds are the signs
of the quarries of Veronese red marble, which is exported all over the world
from here) is visible from the entire Veronese plain and from the entire
Valpolicella. Getting to the top, one can enjoy an impressively wide panorama, ranging from Lake Garda to the Alps and from Verona to the pre-Alps of
Brescia.
The Paleontological Museum of Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo
The museum preserves some interesting fossils, both of small dimensions and
almost complete skeletons of turtles and huge sharks. These fossils were discovered and collected during the excavation and manufacturing of stone slabs.
The museum displays a reconstruction of the landscape dating back to over 50
million years ago, when the entire Lessinia region was a marine lagoon.
CHURCHES AND VILLAS
The parish of San Giorgio
San Giorgio Ingannapoltron, now small hamlet of the municipal district of
Sant’Ambrogio, was once the religious capital of the Arusnati people, and during the early medieval period it was one of the most lively centres, home to
expert stone-cutters and marble and stone sculptors. Many gravestones dating
back to the Roman period are preserved, some of which have been reutilized
inside the church while others have been collected in the small museum right
next to the church.
The medieval era triumphs inside and outside this austere church with a nave
and two side aisles: church, bell tower and cloister are all built out of stone,
and are of Romanesque imprint (twelfth century A.D.).Inside the church there
are more ancient traces, such as the fresco of Christ Almighty in the apse at the
entrance and the ciborium, which was rebuilt but has kept the original small
arches and two small columns with an inscription that cites the Longobard
King Liutprando.
Ve r o n e s i
The parish of San Floriano
Today it stands along a busy road and is surrounded by houses, but in the past
it stood in the countryside and was the main church of the entire central
Valpolicella region. The beautiful Romanesque church has remained intact,
both on the outside - with the gabled façade, the suspended protiro (porch) and
a row of small arches along the roof-, and on the inside (although here a radical restoration process has eliminated great part of the baroque decoration)
with columns and pillars separating the central nave from the two side aisles
and with the original monochrome decoration. Here and there, there are fragments of the previous early medieval church and Roman stone slabs have been
reused in the façade and at the base of the Romanesque bell tower.
The minor churches
Rich of art and history are the minor medieval churches, which used to depend
on the major parishes or on the one of San Martino in Negrar, of which only
the monumental tuffaceous bell tower remains.
The church of San Pietro in Arbizzano was also a parish for some time: of the
ancient time it still preserves a slab of stone carved on both sides with the
Crucifixion and the gothic portal. Also interesting are a painted triptych
shrine, the altar-piece and the rich set of sculptures outside and inside the
church.
The church of San Martino in Corrubio is the result of the adding, towards the
end of the fifteenth century, of a large gothic chapel (dedicated to San Rocco)
to the ancient small Romanesque church of the twelfth century.
The Romanesque church of San Michele in Arcè with frescoes in the apse and
along the walls was built with stones taken from the nearby River Adige . It
preserves ancient inscriptions on the doors, amongst which the famous Latin
palindrome SATOR.
The church of San Marco, formerly Santo Stefano, in Valgatara also dates back
to the late Romanesque period. Its interior preserves large fifteenth-century
frescoes and a seventeenth-century Flemish altar-piece.
Two small jewels of Romanesque architectures stand in Fumane: Santa Maria
del Vaio, with a sumptuous, seventeenth-century pictorial decoration dedicated
to the Madonna in its interior, and San Micheletto, on the opposite side of the
valley, also decorated with inner frescoes of votive saints and religious symbols.
Still in the district of Fumane, but in the neighborhood of Breonio, there is
another church worth mentioning: San Marziale. Though apparently anonymous from the outside, inside its apse is entirely covered with frescoes by two
of the greatest sixteenth-century Veronese painters: Francesco Morone and
Domenico Brusasorzi. On the altar there is a beautiful sixteenth-century wooden altar-piece by Francesco Badile.
The fountains
Until forty years ago the centre or the meeting place of a neighbourhood or of
a small village was not the square, but the fountain. Besides the drinking
water jet, fountains also had tubs made of stone slabs with other slabs
inclined on the edeges for the washing. The women would spend many hours
there to do the laundry, especially during the springtime, or they would come
and get buckets of water for domestic uses, while the men would take the stable animals to drink at the fountain or would prepare the copper sulphate for
the grapevines.
In a land like the Valpolicella region, characterized by the presence of many
springs, which are quite widespread but have limited flow, it was necessary to
have fountains built so as to optimize the use of water and not to waste the
precious resource. With a number of lined-up tubs it was possible to use water
first of all for cooking and drinking (directly from the faucet), then to let the
animals drink (first tub, usually without the inclined stone slabs for the laundry), then to rinse the laundry (next tub, where sometimes little horizontal
drains would not allow the soap lather to reach the water) and finally to wash
clothes (sometimes the last tub was reserved for children’s clothes, which were
usually dirtier). With the spread of the first artificial pipes and aqueducts, the
fountain for cooking and drinking purposes was separated from the tubs for
the laundry, which was done even along the streams, where possible.
The importance of fountains, and thus the need to modify and improve them,
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has driven the people of Valpolicella to renovate their fountains often, as is
proven by the many dates, carved on the stones to somehow ennoble an apparently poor work.
Actually they are often impressive architectural structures, sometimes provided
with a roof (as, for instance, in Pedemonte, Iago, Gorgusello, Breonio di sopra,
San Giorgio, Fane) and with some aesthetic element (Cavalo, Pezza, Breonio
di sotto, Sengia Rossa).
Votive shrines and crosses
For those who travel along the roads of Valpolicella there is a silent, discrete
but noble presence that, from walls and crossroads, reminds even the most
absent-minded people of the ancient sacredness of the road, hence of walking
and travelling.
Two thousand years ago someone sent disciples on the road: they went,
preached and came back. Some remained on the road, on our roads, to preach
words and phrases that, today, we do not always understand, maybe because
we never tried to listen.
They are the saints of the country roads: roads spared by the fury of traffic and
leading to old, deserted neighborhoods.
Saints on niches of stone walls, exposed to the carelessness of people, the ravages of time, and the intrusiveness of dust.
Nonetheless, all of them still show traces of a rural devotion that never died,
the same devotion that has placed them as sentinels to stand guard over the
fields, the people and the animals.
They are wooden or stone crosses, made alive by the presence of the instruments of martyrdom, or small chapels with frescoes of the same mysteries contained in the rosary, which were depicted on the walls of the few, far away
rural churches.
They are niches with the images of thaumaturgical saints continuously engaged
in intervening against hail, lightning, diseases and misfortunes of poor people.
Now many frescoes are washed out, many niches are empty and many saints
are gone and have been replaced by simple plastic statues in order to discourage the vile vandals’ greediness . Alternatively, these places are defended by
strong iron grating that seems to mark the boundary between us and the afterlife.
Nobody seems to care about the road saints anymore. But, then, who might
have put a vase of flowers here, some plastic flowers there, a bunch of grapes at
the feet of the Madonna or even a couple of round bread loafs, or a bottle of
wine?
THE VILLAS
A villa is an architectural complex including a prestigious building surrounded
by haylofts and rural houses that stand on a “brolo,” a large plot of land which
is part of a large estate, enclosed by a wall, within which there are a garden
and often a small church.
There are at least eighty architecturally noteworthy villas in the Valpolicella
region, some of which are well-known beyond the Veronese borders. It was
especially during the Venetian domination (1405-1798) that elegant villas
were built in the Valpolicella region to house landowners for their holidays.
Indeed, there were many patricians, but also rich bourgeois families, who, during the past five-hundred years, aimed at the ownership of a villa in
Valpolicella along with their building in the city. The villa in Valpolicella
would be destined for the stay during the nice season and for controlling the
agricultural businesses in which the owners had invested a great part of their
wealth.
Currently, only very few villas are open to the public and often for very limited
visiting hours. However, they can sometimes be appreciated even just from the
outside.
Villa Serego-Alighieri in Gargagnago
The complex is bounded by a wide wall and is located behind the small
Monteleone hill and at the foot of the San Giorgio hill, which make for an
extraordinary setting. The ancient core of the villa is said to date back to
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Pietro, son of Dante Alighieri, who on 23 April 1353 purchased land in
Gargagnago. In a 1591 painting by Cristoforo Sorte, the masterly residence
was depicted as made up of a large residential complex called Palazzo, or
Palace, that was divided into two main bodies, one formed by different rooms
and the other one with a colonnade and a large stone courtyard.
The current aspect of the villa is the result of the superimposition of different
buildings. Inside there are halls, studies, dining rooms, rooms with fireplaces,
stucco works, coats of arms, mosaics and frescoes. In particular a hall and a
dining room are worth mentioning. On the walls of the hall, frescoed by a
painter active in the 1770s there are a series of fake divinity statues (Neptune,
Minerva, Juno, Mercury, Diana and Apollo) and above the doors there are
monochrome medallions with the profiles of Roman emperors. Some Veronese
decorators active at the beginning of the nineteenth century painted a fake
gallery with Ionian columns that opens on marvelous landscapes with plenty of
trees in the dining room, and open skies and flying swallows on the ceiling.
Villa of Santa Sofia in Pedemonte
The villa of Santa Sofia (which derives its name from a nearby small gothic
church) was planned in the mid sixteenth century by the architect of Vicenza
Andrea Palladio for Marcantonio Serego. However, only a small part of the
original project was actually realized: the colonnade of half of the inner courtyard, while the plan, in addition to a large colonnade and an exedra, also
included two country houses with haylofts and a defensive tower.
The structure is a two-storey building, connected by a single series of Ionianstyle columns that contrast with the elegant first-floor balustrade and the rich
trabeation that crowns the building.
The villa is surrounded by a noteworthy park, dated nineteenth- and twentieth-century, with a small lake, a gazebo, a rose garden and lemon-houses.
Villa Della Torre-Cazzola in Fumane is a very particular building erected in
the sixteenth century following the will of Guido Della Torre, whose family
had succeeded the Maffeis in the estate of Fumane. Around the peristyle, surrounded by a colonnade with strong ashlar columns, there are two buildings
facing one another and surmounted by two small towers. Small water canals
with gushes, fountains and pools cross the peristyle and the garden, which
slope slightly down and are rich of statues, flights of steps and balustrades.
The indoor halls, originally decorated with frescoes and later with stucco work,
preserve typical monumental fireplaces, portraying monsters, attributed to the
stucco decorators Ridolfi, and beautiful vaulted ceilings. The small, octagonalshaped temple of the villa was attributed to the Veronese architect Michele
Sanmicheli.
Villa Del Bene in Volargne is one of the most precious monuments of the
Veronese Renaissance. The complex, erected in the fifteenth century, includes
a core with an open gallery and other buildings in the fashion of Sanmicheli.
The beautiful entry portal to the small walled courtyard and the defensive
tower in the second and larger courtyard surrounded by rural houses, are probably attributable to Michele Sanmicheli, who respected traditional building
ways in the elegant façade with a colonnade and an open gallery.
Illustrious sixteenth-century masters, such as Giovanni and Gianfrancesco
Caroto, Domenico Brusasorzi, Bernardino India and Nicolò Crollalanza, decorated the stairs, the colonnade, the main hall and the indoor rooms with magnificent frescoes depicting sacred and biblical subjects, which have recently
been restored. For over four centuries this villa, located on the left bank of the
River Adige, at the exit of the Chiusa of Rivoli, belonged to the Del Bene family, who probably built it. The once magnificent park is presently almost all
gone.
Villa Nichesola in Ponton
Although from the outside it looks shabby and in a state of unrecoverable
decay, it does still preserve clearly visible traces of the pictorial decoration of
the front yard, imagined like a majestic scenery of fake architectures, and some
monochrome frescoed rooms with mythological subjects by Paolo Farinati,
great late-sixteenth-century Veronese painter, who may also have been respon-
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sible for the architectural structure and the rich decoration of the nymphaeum
grotto in the courtyard.
Villa Saibante Monga in San Pietro in Cariano is a beautiful baroque complex dating back to the first decades of the seventeenth century, with an elegant architecture that combines rural aspects and refined elements. Inside
there is a representation hall entirely frescoed by Paolo Ligozzi with a symbolic
portrayal of the four continents, allegorical figures and mythological scenes.
Well-preserved is the garden at the side of the villa, with its fountain, the
nymphaeum grotto and numerous sculptures along the garden paths.
Villa Rizzardi in Poiega di Negrar is famous for its garden, which is still very
well preserved and can be visited, while the actual villa is modern, since it
replaced the original one in the second half of the nineteenth century.
The garden, created at the end of the eighteenth century following the plans of
the architect Luigi Trezza, includes different styles in a little space: there are
geometrically-planted flowerbeds and a small nymphaeum grotto in the area
closest to the villa, fountains with jets of water, a hornbeam-lined path, a
belvedere and a green theatre, which are all typical elements of the baroque
garden. The highest area of the garden, on the other hand, is covered by forest
trees and scattered with fake ruins and wild animals, according to the rising
romantic fashion. Thus, the garden is very significant for the skilful use of
slopes, the variety of perspectives, the richness of fountains and pools and especially for the remarkable “green theatre.” The statues of the belvedere, of the
small temple and of the theatre were all created by Muttoni.
THE VALPOLICELLA REGION AND ITS WINES: IN A FEW
WORDS
The territory of the Valpolicella region originated 60 million years ago, and at
the time it was covered by the Tetide sea. Between the Secondary and the
Quaternary Period it started taking its current shape: to the south, the river
Adige separates the Valpolicella valley from the countryside around Verona
and from the morainic hills around Lake Garda; to the north, the mountains
of Lessinia separate it from the Trentino region; to the east, the hills between
Parona and Quinzano separate it from the town; and to the west, the Pastello
Mountain separates it from the Adige Valley. There are many significant natural elements: the woods have surrendered to fruit orchards and vineyards
because the local people have been working on the land since ancient times.
Meadows reign supreme above a 700 metre altitude. Valpolicella is considered
the precious jewel of Verona: in a hilly landscape where grapevines, olive and
cherry trees are widespread, there are numerous residential possibilities for
those who prefer living in a place where the climate is altogether mild all year
round and where there is no smog. The Valpolicella region preserves very
ancient testimonies of human presence: the Cave of Fumane was inhabited by
the Neanderthal Man for approximately 70000 years. At a later time, during
the Bronze Age, the area experienced a period of richness tied to the trading of
flint stone. During this time the first fortified villages, called “castellieri,”
were built. During the Iron Age other villages were established, the most
famous of which is that of the Monte Loffa. Religious temples and statues
dedicated to deities have also been found and it has been discovered that
grapes were grown and wine was produced as far back as the fifth century B.C.
During the Roman period Valpolicella was appreciated for the cultivation of
grapevines, and the Raethian wine, which was served even at imperial tables,
enjoyed great success. During Roman times the people who lived in the area
were called “Arusnati” and were probably of Etruscan origin. Very significant
was the discovery of two Roman villas: the Villa of Negrar, discovered in the
1920s, and the Villa dell’Ambrosan, discovered in 1983. With Theodoric
(489-526 A.D.), Valpolicella stood out for its fertility and amenity, and wine
started acquiring an ever increasing importance. The first devastation came
with Napoleon, who plundered everything he could. After him, even famines,
which had been absent for centuries, returned. Under Lombard-Veneto rule
there were attempts at rebuilding what Napoleon and his troops had destroyed.
Other problems arose during the period of the unification of Italy. Poverty
was rampant and progress was slow (as in the entirety of the newly born
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Italian nation). From 1955 on (the years of the economic boom) life changed,
and today Valpolicella is one of the economically most productive regions of
Italy.
The Villas are a fundamental element in the history of the Valpolicella. The
majority of them were built during the period of Venetian domination. They
were the places where the Veronese noble families would spend their holidays.
There are approximately eighty architecturally valuable villas: some of them
are well-known even beyond the Veronese borders. Amongst the most significant ones it is worth including Villa Serego Alighieri, purchased by the son of
the illustrious poet Dante. Then there are also Villa Betteloni, better known as
the Villa of the Poets, Villa Saibante Monga (which is now a rest home owned
by missionary sisters), Villa Fumanelli Monga and Villa Turco Zamboni. Villa
Mosconi Trezza -inside which the winegrowers’ association of Valpolicella was
created thanks to Gaetano Dall’Osa, who launched the Amarone wine in 1936
(a wine that today is considered the pearl of the world wine elite)- and Villa
Rizzardi, which boasts one of the most beautiful gardens of the Veneto region,
at the centre of which stands a small theatre.
Literature is also tied to the history of the Valpolicella. In addition to Emilio
Salgari, the most translated Italian novelist in the world, who was born in
Verona but grew up in Valpolicella, we cannot forget that popular and familiar
literary tradition relates that Dante spent a lot of time in this region, where he
wrote his “Purgatorio” and “Paradiso” and revised the “Inferno.” There are no
official documents to prove this, but there are some indications that lead us to
think that it is absolutely true, first of which is the bridge of Veja (the world’s
largest natural bridge), described by Dante in some Cantos of the Inferno.
When visiting the natural monument it is hard to miss the similarities with
Dante’s descriptions of the hell’s abyss.
It is impossible to talk about Valpolicella without mentioning its wine and
without going over its history. The presence of grapevines in the Veronese and
Valpolicella territories dates back 40 million years. The most ancient known
“winery” dates back to the fifth century B.C. and was discovered in
Castelrotto. During Roman days, the growing of grapevines increased and
spread over to new territories.
Emperor Augustus loved to have a wine from Valpolicella, the aforementioned
Raethian wine, served at his table. Documents prove that during that time the
withering technique was first used. The Middle Ages were the days of maximum expansion for the grapevines. Even then, the consumption of wine was a
significant economic and social element and there were guilds of arts and
trades that had to do with this beverage (the “tabernarii,” or hosts, the “tricolotti,” who brought the wine and the “hosterii,” or innkeepers). The
Renaissance rediscovered wine as a therapeutic element. The nineteenth century was the century that saw the creation of the Recioto wine ( the first document where the term “Recioto” is found dates back to 1888). This was also
the century when the wine of the Valpolicella region started becoming known
beyond domestic boundaries. The twentieth century, instead, was the century
of the Amarone wine. Its origin is dated 1936, when it was created in the
winery of Villa Mosconi in Negrar; while the first bottle with a label that reads
Amarone dates back to 1940 and is preserved at the winegrowers’ association
of Negrar. Since then, the road for the wines of the Valpolicella has been
downhill and today they are considered amongst the world’s most prestigious
wines. First of all is the aforementioned Amarone wine: an undisputed phenomenon on the international wine scene.
WINE-PRODUCERS’ CO-OPERATIVE SAN PIETRO INCARIANO.
The history of this cantina goes back to the 5th century when the Arusnates,
produced what the Romans would call the Rahetic wine. San Pietro then
became a very important centre, and even the Vicariate was hosted here during
the Serenissima domination. Its priceless artistic richness is embraced by its
vast vineyards, innumerable cypresses and cherry trees. One of Verona’s most
productive cantinas is here, in this beautiful garden-like town: the Cantina
Sociale Cooperativa del Valpolicella Classico SCARL. Their grapes, perfectly
farmed thanks to its limestone soil, are excellent for Recioto and Amarone,
which represent this company’s main production, and guarantee high quality
standards for all their labelled wines.
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WINE-PRODUCERS’ CO-OPERATIVE NEGRAR
Let us imagine the beauty and scents of the Valpolicella hills during a hot
August day. Let us now imagine a group of smart gentlemen gathering with a
notary. The notary is Francesco Betteloni and the gentlemen are Gaetano
Dall’Ora, Carlo Vecchi, Giovanni Battista Rizzardi, Marco Macchi and Pier
Alvise Serego Alighieri. It is August the 23rd 1933, Cantina Sociale
Valpolicella’s birthday. Creating a recognised Cantina was, an ambitious yet
necessary project, for some clever industrialists had started trading wines called
Valpolicella, although their grapes came from all over Italy. Union only could
give credit to the little local producers, so that they could be up to market’s
challenges. This principle is no less valued nowadays, since this five hundred
hectares co-operative’s main aim is to valorise its members’ work producing
high quality wines. The excellent Domini Veneti, which stem from an organic
‘quality project’ to satisfy customers worldwide, are but a part of the eight million bottles produced yearly.
CONSORTIUM FOR THE PRESERVATION
OF VALPOLICELLA WINE
The idea of an organization preserving the wines of Valpolicella has very early
origins. In fact the first organization is dated 9 February 1925: it acted under
the coat of arms of the Valpolicella Vicariate. But it was not until 1970 that
the present Consortium was born.
It is an inter-professional association which aims precisely at preserving, promoting and defending the interests of the controlled denomination of
origin (DOC).
All those engaged in the production, transformation and preservation of
Valpolicella wines can be enrolled in the Consortium.
Currently there are : 1561 grape- producer partners; 41 partners both producing and bottling; 22 traders and industrialists; 10 wine producers' cooperative
cellars; and one oeno-pole. These sizeable numbers reward the job of those
who, over the last thirty years, have taken care that no wine were made out of
other grapes' qualities or without the disciplinary characteristics. They also
defend before Law Courtrooms the collective interests of the associated producers and see to ensure them all the necessary technical assistance connected
with the agronomic choices for vine growing and wine producing
methodologies.
In short, a wide range commitment in favour of the Consortium's producers
through, all the phases of their DOC production. A precious work which
guarantees peculiarity and traditional characteristics to a product of excellence
in the Veronese territory.
MASI: INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AND GOOD QUALITY TO
CONQUER THE WORLD.
The Masi Company is situated in Gargagnago di Valpollicella and is entirely
controlled by the Boscaini Family . The family bought the first vineyard at the
end of the VIII century. The company has been evolving year after year
because of the constant and careful acquisition of new plots. Today the estate
covers almost 650 hectares, which means larger quantities of wine. Another
good strategy is the co-operation with the Serego Alighieri Family, Dante
Alighieri’s heirs. The families work together to export the wine and to make
Masi brand famous all over the world.
Nowadays, thanks to Sandro Boscaini’s passion and initiative, these wines
(especially Valpolicella and Amarone) are worldwide known and present in 60
countries. In 2005 Masi wine farm produced over 10.000.000 wine bottles
(88% of which are the export-quota), for a sales amount of over 50.000.000
Euro! To increase the prestige of this company, Masi organizes the “Masi
Prize” for famous artists, scientists ( Bill Gates, just to give an example), and
performers who are representative of the Veneto territory culture.
BOSCAINI CARLO’S COMPANY: OASIS IN SANT’AMBROGIO
When in 1948 Carlo Boscaini succeeded in buying 14 hectares in
Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella, he gave birth to a wonderful professional and
personal dream. With his son Arturo and his grandchildren - Carlo and
Mario- , he led the company until the age of 102 ( thanks to the power of his
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good wine ). The heirs are still improving the Grandfather’s Company (which
still keeps the founder’s name) with a new wine cellar, new production systems and equipments. The result is an evermore complete range of wines like
Valpolicella, Amarone, Recioto and Passito Bianco. The motto of this company
is clear: “good wine –little but genuine- for a good life”. And if Carlo died at
the venerable age of 102, he probably had drunk a lot of it.
MERONI: THE RECIOTO OF THE POETS
Meroni’s agricultural company is located in Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella and
is property of the Meroni Family . The vineyards of this family are considered
to be some of the best areas for the production of Amarone and Recioto. The
purpose of this company is not to increase their market; what the Meroni’s
really want is to respect tradition and safeguard worldwide the uniqueness of
our wines, which are only available in our country. Their two finest lines of
products are labelled “Sengia” and “Velluto”: these wines were already appreciated during World War II, when a famous poet of our land, Berto Barbarani,
considered this wine as a gift to cure the evil of the world during the war.
VILLA MONTELEONE: FROM AMERICA WITH LOVE
This company is the result of a love story and a deep passion for wine.
Lucia Duran Raimondi and her husband, whom she met in Chicago in 1967,
used to work successfully together in the medicine field and they have had
success again working together for their wine company.
In 1988, after their retirement, the couple bought Villa Monteleone, an ancient
building of the XVII century surrounded by a wonderful vineyard.
They were alone during their first grape harvest, in 1989, but three years later
they were already on the market. The goal of this little, but prestigious company, was to produce wine respecting the tradition of the land and Lucia is still
trying to follow this rule. Today she leads the company by herself, but she
knows that each bottle she produces, contains not only a superb wine but also
passion, the past and the spirit of her late beloved husband.
WINE SHOP AND RESTAURANT “AL COVOLO”
The wine shop and restaurant “Al Covolo”, located in Sant’Ambrogio di
Valpolicella, is owned by the Molinaroli family who have been running it since
1996. The name Molinaroli has been around since 1547: the progenitor was a
certain Giambattista, a miller and from this came the name (Molinaro means
miller). Some of his sons carried on the tradition, while others put their hand
to excavation and masonry. It was Adelino, son of Ottavio, also a quarryman
and a lover of music, who broke the family tradition and went into the restaurant business. He had grown up in a village tavern run by his paternal grandparents and spent his summer holidays with his maternal grandparents who
also ran a porterhouse in the Lessini Mountains. He loved the mountains and
food and was able to combine his two loves when he opened a lodge on Mount
Baldo. In the meantime, he married Celina and together they had four children, the youngest of whom, Andrea, became a cook receiving a diploma from
the Bardolino Hotelier Institute, and who, after many years gaining experience
in some of the most prestigious hotels in Italy, opened his restaurant “Al
Covolo” whose specialities are: homemade pasta with rich meat sauces, meat
dishes of goat, lamb and pork with luscious wine sauces followed by delicious
desserts and sweet breads accompanied by sweet wines. Andrea looks after the
kitchen; Adelino is the sommelier and looks after the cellar that houses more
than 500 brands of wine that he carefully chooses from the best wines in the
area, including those of emerging wine makers who produce small quantities
of exquisite wines. Particular attention is paid to Recioto and Amarone. The
individual glasses of wine on offer provide an opportunity to taste and be
acquainted with many different wines.
GROTO DE CORGNAN: FROM HIMALAYA WITH LOVE
Time seems to have stopped in Giorgio’s restaurant, where everything is still
prepared in total respect of nature and tradition. Giorgio goes every morning
to the hills to get the freshest vegetables and butter. All VIPs who come to
Verona stop at Giorgio’s to try his delicious dishes, such as his Oriental filet,
prepared with spices, following a Venetian tradition. He loves the mountains
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and is well known on the Himalaya, where everyone calls him the little great
Italian chef. This is probably the source of his inspiration, which allows him to
prepare excellent dishes, leaving everyone satisfied.
SAN GIORGIO DI VALPOLICELLA
San Giorgio Ingannapoltron is the popular name of the small town of San
Giorgio di Valpolicella. The nickname could be rendered as lazybones’ deceiver: a town that looks close but is really hard to be reached on foot by climbing
up a steep, tortuous road, perched as it is on the rocky heart of the Veronese
hills. The place is a true pearl of intact architectural and natural beauty that
boasts a millenarian history. Indeed, the first attestable settlements of the area
date back to the Arusnates, a little known civilization probably comparable to
the Etruscans’. They were followed in time by the Romans and, after them,
by the Longobards.
The main attraction of San Giorgio is the marvellous Romanesque parish
church, which in the ciborium preserves the unique Longobard inscription
found on the Veronese territory.
An opportunity not to be missed for visiting the village and taking a stroll
through its small streets and carefully preserved stone houses, is the Festa delle
Fae – which takes place on the second Sunday of November. This village fair
has been held for over twenty years and recalls a very ancient heathen rite in
honour of the dead. Obviously also the wines are not to be missed : names
such as Valpolicella, Recioto and Amarone are very renowned ones. So are
the typical dishes of the region, such as soppressa (a kind of spiced salami),
corn polenta and tagliatelle enbogone` (with beans, herbs and olive oil). These
can all be tasted at the Trattoria al Borgo dell’Arusnate, the Osteria della
Pieve, the Trattoria Dalla Rosa Alda or the Trattoria Cadelapela.
DA NICOLA: A BALCONY ON GARDA
The old typical trattoria of the Veronese hills. Monte is a village with breathtaking views of the Baldo and the Valdadige, and the Gulf of Garda. The
ancient Fort Mollinary stands there as a gate to Valdadige. Da Nicola was the
osteria of this village, run by Nicola’s father. Mrs Natalia, who has run the
kitchen for the past ten years, does not want to present anything too creative,
but pleases her guests with the typical dishes of Valpolicellian tradition. This
is probably the secret for this restaurant’s success.
DALLA ROSA ALDA
In the wonderful land of Amarone, Valpolicella and Recioto, in the picturesque village of San Giorgio di Valpolicella, there is a restaurant where time
seems to have come to a halt. It is called “Dalla Rosa Alda” and it is a place
where one can smell scents of ancient days, enjoying a magical atmosphere. In
fact it is located inside a country cottage dating back to 1650, out of which it
was possible to make a restaurant, a hotel and a wine bar.
The Dalla Rosa family has owned the place since1853, and today’s owners are
Signora Alda and Signor Ludovico. Theirs is a romantic story of old. Alda still
remembers the time when her husband, who worked as a pilot during the first
half of the twentieth century, would court her by throwing her flowers from
the plane. The two have been together since then and have even joined their
common passion for gastronomy in order to create the “Dalla Rosa Alda”, one
of the most renowned restaurants at a national level : one cannot even begin
to count the number of celebrities who have eaten here! And really it is a place
where all the flavours and images of tradition are enhanced up to their best.
Besides the restaurant, which offers simple but refined dishes with the flavours
and scents of Valpolicella -as a result of Mrs. Alda creativity (like the famous
Pissotta)-, there is also the wine bar, called “Il tinel”, where one can taste and
purchase the best Valpolicella wines : not only the ones by famous names, but
also wines by small producers who have invested in quality and respect for territory and tradition. All this in a cosy, unsophisticated atmosphere which summons up the past.
In addition, there are ten hotel rooms where guests can stay and relax, visiting
the wonderful village of San Giorgio, from where they can enjoy a breathtaking view of the plain and of Lake Garda : a heavenly nook, certainly worth
seeing, and some dishes –made by Alda- certainly worth tasting.
Ve r o n e s i
THE BETTELONIS : THE POETS’ VILLA
Among the many small towns of the Valpolicella region, Castelrotto is one of
the most ancient and historically significant ones : it is in this charming place
that the “Villa dei Poeti”, or Villa of the Poets, is located. This is a large, elegant building that has existed for almost seven centuries and that in 1400 was
owned by an eminent humanist, master Guarino. In this house (which was
brought to him as a dowry by his wife) he would give hospitality to poets and
scholars, such as his dear friend and follower Bartolomeo Brenzone. During
the centuries, thanks to the passion for literature that the Betteloni family has
always harboured, the greatest writers and men of letters have been guests of
the villa. Indeed, at the end of the eighteenth century Cesare and Vittorio
Betteloni made Castelrotto the centre of their the poetic world. At the villa
lived people of such calibre as Aleardo Aleardi, the most regular and welcomed
of the guests. When Cesare died in 1858, Aleardi became the guardian of his
son Vittorio, and encouraged him to pursue his classical studies. Vittorio
Betteloni spent his lifetime in Castelrotto, the place he loved so much and to
which he dedicated some of his poems and stories. He showed great admiration for Giosue` Carducci, whom he considered the greatest poet of his days
and a very close friend. Carducci also liked to spend time in Castelrotto,
although always for a short number of days. The Poets’ Villa is currently
owned by Vittorio Betteloni, last descendant of the nineteenth century poets’
dynasty. He does not write, instead he works the land and harbours a great
passion for wine, so that we could call him “the poet of the vines”. Living on
in his wines there is the memory of his grandfather Vittorio : in fact the bottles’ labels of Amarone, Valpolicella and Recioto carry the most significant
poems by his beloved grandfather. It is impossible to talk about Villa of the
Poets, or Villa Betteloni, without extolling its overwhelming beauty.
Domenico Betteloni started its restoration in 1780, making use of Marco
Macola’s work -a great painter of the time- who decorated the indoor rooms
with embellishments and figures that can still be admired. At a later date a
new yard and a dove-tower were added. Approximately a hundred years later,
in 1870, Vittorio Betteloni changed the building’s façade with architect Ettore
Fagiuoli’s help : the building was enlarged with the addition of a wide loggia.
He also had Guglielmo Guglielmi set up a wide Italian garden in front of the
villa and all around it, shaping it with beautiful evergreen hedges, fountains,
paths and cypresses that gave the villa an even more regal semblance. The
view from Villa Betteloni is something beyond imagination: to the east, north
and west one can admire the green of meadows and hills; to the south one
dwells to glance over the sweet countryside and the wide plain, as far as to
see the imposing towers of Verona and the enthralling River Adige. A natural
symphony that soothes the senses.
ALLEGRINI: A MYTH NAMED GIOVANNI
Since 1557 the Allegrini Family has been one of the most important wine producer in Italy. The historical founder was Allegrino Allegrini, but Giovanni
Allegrini was the new generation’s founder as to vinegrowing methods. The
company is now led by the three heirs of Giovanni : Franco who is the wine
steward, Marilisa who is the Manager of the marketing strategies and the late
Walter who dealt with wine conduction but who, unfortunately, died prematurely. Nowadays Allegrini Company manages 100 hectares of vineyards and
is an international reality, in fact 60% of the production is sold on the foreign
market. All the Allegrinis’ wines are well appreciated all over the world
because of their quality. The Allegrini Family also organizes special events in
Villa Giona, a prestigious and historical building in Valpolicella; during these
events it is possible to taste their wines : Valpolicella, Amarone, Palazzo della
Torre, La Grola, La Poja, Villa Giona and Giovanni Allegrini.
COTTINI MARCO : LOCATION THAT IS DRESSED LIKE A SITTING ROOM
The coloured curtains, fluttering in the breeze, veiling the rows of French casks
that hold the wonderful wine, give the impression of wandering through the
parlours of a beautiful modern country home. The Cottini family, Marco and
his wife, are wonderful hosts with extensive knowledge. Their wines are especially taken care of, embellished by the attention that only pure passion can
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give. Since the nineteen thirties, the Cottini family have been drinking and
providing their wine produced through the clever care of the vines nestling in
the area of Fumane, an area that sits under a lucky star. Since the fifties, their
wines have been dressing Italian tables for all to enjoy, and from the seventies
and eighties they had crossed the Alps to tempt German palates continuing on
to many other European countries.
VENTINA CUBI: “WOMAN OF WINE” AND CAPTAIN OF A
COMPANY
San Pietro in Cariano and Fumane host this company’s 13 hectares. Valentina
Cubi’s company was created in 1970 and has always aimed at producing high
quality wines. More modern farming techniques have been introduced in order
to enhance production. Vineyards Monte Tenda and Monte Crosetta are perfect
for the production of the typical Valpollicella reds. Mrs Cubi’s wines have very
particular names, such as Arusnatico, Iberio and Tabarro, or the olive oil
Verbasco. Particular names for particularly excellent products.
“I SCRIANI”
The young Paolo and Stefano Cottini have inherited the passion for vine growing and vinification from their father. Inspired by the name of the village
“Scrivan”, in the marvellous valley of Fumane -where their farm is located-,
they have used the name “I Scriani” – a dialectal term indicating the scribes,
as their logo. Scribes were needed in ancient times when the majority of people were illiterate, and the area probably acquired this name because of the
presence of such learned people.
The Cottini brothers have started a wine growing business tied to the land,
respecting the traditional vinification methods but also including innovative
suggestions. They are young men with a strong will who aim at a continuous
improvement in the production of their wine, which has already received many
prizes. The Valpolicella Classico, the “Ripasso,” the Amarone, The Recioto
and the Rosso Veronese are strong, full-bodied wines, with an intense ruby-red
colour and a wide variety of scents ranging from vanilla to spices, licorice and
bitter almonds.
This is a young winery company which has been able to “cultivate” the peasant tradition in the best possible way.
MONTE DEI RAGNI: A WINERY ON A HUMAN SCALE
In the hamlet of Marega, a historic neighborhood of Fumane, an old country
road that is protected by two stone walls, leads to the “Monte dei Ragni” agricultural farm, which was originally garrison of the nearby Villa della Torre. In
the historical land register, drawn up during the Austrian domination, the hill
on which the Ragnos’ agricultural farm is located already appeared under the
name “Monte dei Ragni”. Thus, the attachment of the Ragno family to their
land is very ancient and deep. Thanks to the farsightedness of Santo Ragno,
ever since 1900 the Ragnos have been increasingly specializing in the production of grapes.
This evolution was carried out during the course of decades also thanks to the
acquisition of other plots of land in the area of Mazzurega, slightly more northwards. All these plots were on top of round hills and were sunny from morning to evening, which made them perfect for the cultivation of grapevines. A
heritage that today the owners of the farm do not even dream of betraying.
Their work, from cultivation to the bottling process, always aims at excellence,
even if this translates into a limited, practically niche production.
Over the last few years, with the help of two passionate oenologists like Fabio
Bigolin and Umberto Menini, the Ragnos have planted five thousand stumps
of high-quality autochthonous vine species per hectare, some of which were
recovered on the farm itself from very old grapevines still present on it. The
almost daily inspection of buds, land and grape bunches is followed, in the
winery, by an identical attentive and loving care for the grapes which means:
soft crushing and pressing, a skilful use of the woods and the almost complete
exclusion of mechanical pumping systems. Thus, the love for their history,
their grapes and their magnificent valley, together with their obstinate dedication and their absolutely unique vision, result not only in an excellent wine,
but also in an extraordinary example of consistency and humanity.
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LE SALETTE
In 1860 a church was built to give thanks to the Virgin Mary on the hills
around Fumane.This church is on a hill which protects the vineyards under it.
Among these, there are the vineyards of a historical family, with a long tradition in wine growing: the Scamperle, who own the company which takes its
name from this church. This family’s story goes a long way back but it was
always characterised by a great love for wine. Their 25 hectares all around
Valpolicella produce excellent wines, some of which are exported all over the
world, especially to the USA.
NICOLIS: A GREAT FAMILY FOR A GREAT WINE
This company was founded in S.Pietro in Cariano in 1951 by Angelo Nicolis.
Today, thanks to his sons Giancarlo, Giuseppe and Massimo, it is also appreciated out of the Italian boarders. Natalia Nicolis -Angelo’s wife- still holds the
main role in the company: with her initiative and experience, she is a valid
and important help for her sons in the business running. During the past years
the company has received many important prizes for the Valpollicella,
Amarone and Recioto wines. Nicolis is a powerful company and a wonderful
family too: during family reunions there are more than 70 of them, all sharing
the same passion for wine and the Valpolicella land, just as the founder
Angelo did.
MONTANARI’S MANSION
The glamorous Montanari Mansion, owned by the Nicolis family, is located on
the hills of Bure – on the eastern ridge of the Valley of Fumane – and is an
ancient fourteenth-century country house. It has the style of a fortified towerhouse and that of a country villa with eighteenth-century architectural lines.
The house with its defensive tower is the oldest part of the mansion and
during the Scaligeri era it served as a defensive system. With the end of the
Scaligeri ruling period, the need to defend the land would cease and it would
rise the attention towards cultivating it . Thus, during the fifteenth century,
the courtyard was used as a dwelling and a place from which to organize the
agricultural work. During the course of the following three centuries the
house became a country villa : elegant halls were built in it for the parties of
patrician families of the times, together with a small votive church and a hunting “roccolo,” a circular space with nets and decoys to hunt migrating birds.
The noble Montanari family, then owners of the house, were so powerful that
in the fourteenth century they had patronage over the nearby church of San
Michele and appointed the parish priest. Currently there are numerous frescoes dating back to different historical eras inside the villa. The Montanari mansion has now returned to its ancient calling and produces vintage wines and an
excellent extra virgin olive oil.
THE COVE OF FUMANE: 100.000 YEARS OF HISTORY.
In the last 100.000 years the Cove of Fumane has been progressively filled by
different material: fragments of rocks, dust and sand carried by winds, ancient
traces of the prehistorical time. These rests can be used as archives to discover
the mutations of the territory around Fumane, the Lessini area.
The last Ice Age – between 60.000 and 50.000 / 25.000 and 15.000 years ago,
greatly influence o this area. During the period of the Neanderthal men, several
hunters used that cove as a temporary base to chase chamois, deer, roe deer,
wolves, bears, foxes and several types of birds. These hunters left traces in the
cove; therefore it is possible to understand the way these men used to live until
the last generation in the cove: almost 25.000 years ago.
ALLA ROSA: THE EVERLASTING FUMANE’S HEART.
The history of “Alla Rosa” Inn started in 1850, when the Scamperle family
decided to open their house to foreign visitors. Because of its central position,
the Inn became immediately a crucial point for every type of important activity
in the village – marriages, baptism ceremonies, reunions and all the main
events in Fumane.
The past is a feature of this restaurant; in fact, World Wars’ memories still
linger there. The aim of Alla Rosa’s staff is “ Evolution with Tradition” :
thanks to it we can still taste traditional food -such as barbecued meat, original
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bronze-drawn tagliatelle and frozen zabaione-, in a place rich in history but
with a typical homely atmosphere.
ENOTECA DELLA VALPOLICELLA: PASSION AND FANTASY IN
THE CULINARY ART.
The Enoteca della Valpolicella offers simple food of good quality, in which it is
possible to recognize all the tradition of our territory. In 1996 the founders of
this restaurant, Ada and Carlotta, decided to invest their efforts and their life
in this project. They bought an old barn, built in 1400, and transformed it in
the Enoteca della Valpolicella, with a particular attention to the choice of
wines.
Roberto, Ada’s husband, gave his contribution by teaching her everything
regarding the art of wine. This restaurant is the symbol of genuine food: simple courses, like fresh homemade pasta, which exalt the fragrance of the wines.
But the two business associates wanted something more for their hub of delicacy: for this reason Enoteca della Valpolicella is also a centre for events and
meetings of famous oenologists.
VILLA SELLE IN THE HEART OF FUMANE
Villa Selle has been property of the Jenna’s Family since 1968. During these
years the owners of the Villa chose architect Bonagiunti to start a huge renovation. Today it is possible to admire the splendour of Villa Selle: a two-wings
building which has a facade with six arches and a twelve-arch loggia supported
by elegant Renaissance columns. Both of the wings present eight windows and
in the middle of the roof we can admire a decorative skylight. Soon it will be
possible to enjoy this ancient dwelling for magic holidays too.
VALPOLICELLA: FAIRYTALES, LEGENDS, MYSTERIES
On the territory of the Valpolicella region there are monuments, natural phenomena and works of art which, for some peculiarity, are unique in the world
being tied to a number of legends. Let us see some examples. The DAM OF
CERAINO, preceded as it is by an impressive Jurassic rock curtain (of approximately a hundred metre height on the narrow opening where the River Adige
flows), shows the Cyclopean work of the river. Legend has it that Dante personally examined the “ruin” of Ceraino in a canto of Inferno (Hell) describing
it as the ruin that the River Adige struck. The impressive verticality of the
rock wall evokes stories of crimes of passion. Another natural monument of
which Negrar is proud is the SENGIA SBUSA, a powerful monolith standing
in front of the town, along the eastern side. Imposing and enveloped in an
aura of mystery, the “sengia” has always been the subject of legends and fantasies.
The so called CASTELLIER DELLE GUAITE, an ancient fortified village,
which is located between Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo and Fumane, (the bastions of
which are considered to be the most ancient of all Europe), gives testimony of
the local evolution from prehistory to protohistory, a time when villages were
built according to more modern techniques. The diligent care of the quarrymen has given the Archeological and Paleontological Museum of Sant’Anna
d’Alfaedo a specimen of prehistoric monster (of the Mesozoic era) that spreads
over a number of slabs of cretaceous stone and reaches a length of six meters.
It is the classic example of marine abyss predator “operating” a hundred million years ago. The SPLUGA DELLA PRETA, - an “upturned” natural monument-, is a chasm that goes from the top of the Corno d’Aquilio to the depth of
the abyss. It is surrounded by various legends and by an aura of mystery, also
because the final exit of the waters has neither been found nor explored yet.
The Spluga remains one of the most interesting chasms and amongst the deepest ones in Europe (so far it has been explored until 4500 meters of depth).
Popular stories tell of a young lady who disappeared in the Spluga, and of her
“zerla” (a wooden stick used to carry buckets of water) being found years later
in the caves of PONTE DI VEJA, a few kilometers away. Ponte di Veja is the
largest natural bridge in the world and is located in Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo. It
was reproduced in the bridal chamber of the Ducal Palace of Mantua by the
painter A. Mantegna and also inspired Dante for his “Inferno”. The TORRI
COLOMBARE, (dove-towers) which give a characteristic mark to the landscape of the Valpolicella, are blocks of stones built for defensive purposes.
Ve r o n e s i
With the passing of time they became integral part of many villas’ architecture
In connection to this, it should be remembered that, incorporated in the building of Villa Buri-Avanzi in Fumane, there is an authentic Roman tower that
survived undamaged and is considered the primary inspiration for the “colombare” towers. Also worth mentioning is the “colombara” tower of Tomenighe
where Emilio Salgari stayed as a guest of his paternal uncle and aunt during
his childhood and youth. May this in some way have inspired the volcanic
imagination of the most translated Italian novelist in the world?
POPULAR TRADITIONS OF THE VERONESE VALLEYS
Telling about the traditions of the Veronese valleys means, first of all, speaking
about the cycles of human life and nature. In fact, as in any peasant civilization, feasts, rites, traditions and customs were closely tied to births, weddings,
Christenings, confirmations, engagements and deaths, on the one hand, and to
natural rhythms and needs on the other.
Christian feasts often coincided with pagan rites and customs, which were tied
to the seasonal nature of rural work. The agrarian year would start with the
renewal of contracts on San Martino (November 11). November was the
month when plowing and sowing took place and on the 25th (Santa Caterina)
everybody helped clean the mills’ channels : the job would finish with a large
dinner for everybody. Santa Lucia, December 13, was the day on which children were given presents, and it still is for many people. On Christmas, every
family would have their nativity scene, and groups of children would go about
houses and streets singing carols. A tradition that is still very common is the
bonfire on January 6th ( the Befana’s day): once it had the precise purpose of
getting rid of brushwood. During the winter people would repair walls and
fences and kill a pig. The wait for spring was sanctioned by the forecast on
January 25 (San Paolo): 12 halved onions were salted and positioned on the
windowsill and, the following morning, they would indicate the rainfall for
the year that had just begun.
Potato gnocchi and fried dough sweets signalled the end of Carnival and the
beginning of Lent, after which different rites and customs signalled the coming
of spring. This was the season of the silkworms, the reaping and threshing, but
also of love and engagements.
The tradition of Calling March was also very common: for three nights groups
of young people would cry out the names of amorous pairings, forming at first
weird and unlikely couples, but also probable and even desirable ones. Thus,
with the cycle of life and nature, ancient traditions and ancestral rites handed
down through the centuries and now, ready to be rediscovered, would start
again.
TABLES OF THE VALPOLICELLA REGION: A HOMECOMING
The Association of restaurateurs called “Tavole della Valpolicella,” or
Valpollicella Tables, was founded in 1997 with the precise purpose of re-discovering the ancient flavours of a land rich in history and tradition. A land where
wise and caring hands have designed and modelled the landscape ever since
the beginning of time.
The beauty of the territory, the pleasures of the table and a good glass of wine
are, in this sense, fundamental elements for rediscovering the ties with a far
away past which, however, remains as alive as ever in the people’s memory.
Thus, returning to the table, sitting peaceful and relaxed, and forgetting the
frenzy of our time are “ancient” pleasures that need to be rediscovered.
Moreover, the culture of food has always been one of the most important paths
in human communication. From christening to wedding , food and table
have always accompanied people’s life during their most important occasions.
And in this great land of flavours, wines and people, the restaurateurs of the
Valpolicella Association’s Tables want to recreate -inside large, quiet, almost
domestic places- together with those ancient flavours, also the noble mix of
passion and imagination, of foods and wines which belong to the land they
share. Thus the restaurants of the Association are all places which may be
either elegant, rural or homely but where guests are always welcomed with
the same simple warmth and friendliness as for a homecoming.
Among them there are the trattorie “Stella” in Arbizzano, “Al capanno” and
“Alla porchetta” in Negrar , “Alla ruota” in Mazzano, “Da Bepi” in Marano,
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“Da Nicola” in Sant’Ambrogio and “Dalla Rosa Alda” in San Giorgio; the osteria “Dalla Bice” in Torbe; the restaurants “Al tesoro” in Corrubio, “Alla Rosa
Scamperle”in Fumane and “Groto de Corgnan” in Sant’Ambrogio ; the wine
bar “Enoteca della Valpolicella” in Fumane, and the wine bar and restaurant
“Al covolo” in Sant’Ambrogio.
FLAVOURS AND TRADITIONS IN VALPOLICELLA
From first courses to desserts, the gastronomical tradition of the Valpolicella
region has always been closely tied to both the seasons’ natural cycle and
important fairs or similar events. In addition, the territorial variety entailed a
certain diversification between the traditions of the plain and those of the
mountainous regions. Butter prevailed in the mountains where the use of
dairy products, from cheese to ricotta (also consumed as a dessert) was widespread. And “gnocchi”, the “historic” dish of the entire Veronese region, in the
area at the borders with the Lessinia region were made of just flour and water.
Variety is the main characteristic of this land and, consequently, of its culinary
traditions. The food was simple, even poor, and was enriched only on special
occasions. This happened when -instead of the “usual soup”- a broth of tagliatelle and chicken livers was served, and when -instead of corn polenta and
sauce (“polenta e pocio”)- there would be a dish of steaming boiled meats:
chicken, beef, tongue and cotechino ( a spiced Italian sausage). These meats
would be served with typical sauces: peara` (made with broth and breadcrumbs), salsa verde ( or green sauce made with eggs, parsley, breadcrumbs and
anchovies); and cren ( a spicy horseradish sauce). Fish was rare and was almost
only consumed on Lent Fridays: stockfish, prepared with milk, white grapes
and lemon peel; herring, prepared with pickled vegetables and bay leaves; and
sardines, which were used to prepare the sauce for the famous bigoli (a sort of
buckwheat spaghetti). Finally, the desserts were few and simple: pissote with
grapes and cherries; roast chestnuts or peladei (boiled chestnuts); conse (small
pastries) on Santa Lucia’s day, nadalin on Christmas day and brassadele on
Easter day.
Simple food, then, but closely tied to land and tradition and, therefore, worth
of rediscovery and reinterpretation.
LITERATURE AND VALPOLICELLA WINE
“As cordial as a brother you get along with” that is how Ernest Hemingway
defined the Valpolicella wine in “Across the River and into the Trees”, one of
his masterpieces.
Speaking of the wines of the Valpolicella region means also to speak about the
sources that have been praising them ever since centuries ago. We will start
with the “Raethian” wine – in other words the wine coming from the Raethian
region between Bergamo and Verona – which Svetonius assures was very much
loved by Emperor Augustus and which was also celebrated in verse by Martial
and Pliny as an excellent wine, second only to the “Falerno”. This is practically the same wine, though in its sweet version (in other words the forefather
of the Recioto wine) that would always be served in abundance at the table of
Theodoric. He discovered it through his minister Cassiodorus, who would
praise its colour and taste in his poems. As if this were not enough, other poets
sang the praise of Valpolicella wines between the fifteenth and the seventeenth centuries. Amongst these were Francesco Corna da Soncino, Torello
Saraina, Onofrio Panvinio, Francesco Tinto, Jacopo Pigari and Adriano
Valerini. And, later on, also Scipione Maffei, Benedetto del Bene, Bartolomeo
Lorenzi, Maurizio Gherardini, Aleardo Aleardi, Vittorio Betteloni and, obviously, the greatest poet of the “veronesita`” (the Veronese way in lifestyle, mentality, culture and tradition), that is to say Berto Barbarani who praises a wine
that, just like any other great wine, “is the plant of friendship.”
THE VALPOLICELLA REGION: BRIEF HISTORICAL SURVEY
AND ETYMOLOGY OF THE NAME
The Valpolicella region constitutes a well-defined geographic entity: in fact, the
territory comprises both a mountainous part and a flat one. The former is
made up of a series of valleys and ridges, heading southwards ; the latter is
formed by a conspicuous terraced alluvial layer, included between the last hilly
ramifications and the bend of the River Adige , in the area that goes from the
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Dam of Ceraino to Parona. Currently, the Valpolicella region includes the
towns of Fumane, Marano di Valpolicella, Negrar, Pescantina, Sant’Anna
d’Alfaedo, Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella and San Pietro in Cariano and the
neighborhoods of Parona in the municipal district of Verona and of Volargne
in the district of Dolce’.
The studies on the etymology of the term “Valpolicella” show the union of two
terms, a Greek one , poli, and a second one Latin, cellae: that is to say
“Valley of the many cellars “. The name Val Polesela
dates back to 1177 :
in it “Polesella” means “marshland or swamp”, -and refers to the alluvial
nature of the soil- , while the poli are the heaps of sand, often covered with
vegetation, deposited by the waters of the River Adige ( along the bends of the
river to this day there is still a village called Pol).
Two elements have characterized the Valpolicella territory since prehistoric
times: its location, half way between the Alps and the plain, and the presence
of a fundamental route of trade and transit such as the River Adige.
Even before the Roman colonization, which took place during the first century
B. C. with the creation of the municipium of Verona, there existed in
Valpolicella a very particular ethnic substratum, defined as Raethian-Etruscan,
but also rich of Celtic and Venetian influences. It is during Roman times that
the cultivation of grapevines and the art of cutting stone developed.
Inscriptions, labels on amphorae and the remains discovered at the beginning
of the Valley of Fumane, make us presume that there was not only an active
production but also an active trade of “Raethian wines.”
Evidence from the late antique age and from the Longobard presence in
Valpolicella remains in some of the most beautiful Romanesque monuments
on the Veronese territory: such as the parish church of San Floriano, and the
parish church of San Giorgio Ingannapoltron with its wonderful ciborium, created by Maestro Orso and his pupils during the reign of Liutprando (712744).
Find the Valpolicella as a separate state one has to wait until 1311, when
Federico della Scala obtained the County of Valpolicella (whose boundaries
arrived at Ossenigo) as feud from the Emperor Arrigo VII. But it only lasted
forteen years.
Since 1405 the territory of Valpolicella came under Venetian domination and
Venice turned it into a Vicariate. Venice recognized a large part of the rights
and privileges that the Valpolicella Valley had had under the Scaligeri rule,
amongst which that of electing its own Vicar, by choosing amongst the members of the most important Veronese families that had interests in the area.
This, together with a long period of peace granted by the Serenissima Republic
of Venice, guaranteed a phase of relative affluence for the people of the valley.
When the Turks conquered Constantinople (1453), the Republic of Venice was
consequently rescaled and thus the Valpolicella also saw the establishment of
large landed properties and the spreading of a new economic and cultural
model, which had its fulcrum and symbol in the villa.
In 1797 Napoleon decreed the end of the Republic of Venice, so that, once all
the ancient privileges were abolished, Valpolicella became just one of the ten
districts of the Veronese territory. The Austrian domination marked the last
occasion for a cultural and worldly renaissance regarding the “society of the
villa”. .
The first farmers’ cooperatives and winegrowers associations were created at
the beginning of the twentieth century, but World War Two would mark
another sudden stop in the development of the economic activities of the
Valley. It was the massive emigration of the post-world-war period to determine the current agrarian structure of the area and set the premises for the
recent success of our wine production on the international scene.
VILLA GIONA
This villa stands on the eastern slopes of Colle di Castelrotto, a hill in Cengia
di Novarine.
It was built by the Giona family as testified by a surviving coat of arms on the
façade. According to a cippus found in the park, dated 1504, it could be a fifteen-century building: the single-lancet windows of the first floor have the
typical Renaissance features. But the palace must have undergone a transformation at the end of the XVI century, while the grafting
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of the three entrance barrel vault made of ashlar pillars and balustrade
(designed by architect Fagiuoli on request of the last owner) date back to the
1950s. It is a beautiful building, with perfect proportion and symmetry in the
lateral haylofts ending up in dove-towers which seem to embrace the garden, now restored to its primitive layout.
Today villa Giona re-lives its deserved splendour since the Saletti family, from
Verona, besides recovering the magnificent park and garden, were able to create an authentic Relais Chateau inside the villa. There, with the cooperation of
the Allegrinis (the famous wine-makers in Fumane), they organise and host
wine tastings, social events and manifestations that simply leave their mark.
ARDUINI: “MAROGNE” GIVE LIFE TO GRAPES AND WINE
Arduini’s premises are in Valpolicella, between Corrubio and Castelrotto.
Gabriele Arduini started this business in Marano di Valpolicella. The company
in Corrubio is run today by Luciano Arduini and his family. Typical veronese
grapes are grown in its seven hectares, the growing techniques change according
to vineyards’ positions (pergola, espallier, guyot). Their production is of course
traditional: Valpolicella Classico, Amarone, Recioto and Belvedere.
BEGALI: SYNONYM OF COHERENCE AND QUALITY
Begali’s seven hctares of land lie in Valpoliecella, in a little village called Cengia.
The company, started after the second World War by Giordano Belgali, is now
run by his son Lorenzo with his wife Adriana and their children Giordano and
Tiliana. Great care is taken of all the steps of production, from growing to the
bottle. The result is an excellent wine which is greatly appreciated. This is the
right reward for a company which has always worked with quality never fogetting tradition.
FORNASER: PRODUCERS OF THE INTERESTINGLY TRADITIONAL PELARA WINE
The wine estate of Monte Faustino owned by the Fornaser Brothers (Fabiano,
Giorgio, Massimiliano and Paolo) was founded in 1969 by Giuseppe Fornaser,
a primary school teacher in the village of Bure, part of the area of SanPietro in
Cariano, after a lifelong love of vineyards and wine. This passion was passed
to his sons who, today, care for the seven hectares of vines that annually produce thirty five thousand bottles from this small but important company.
Important is also its location: the cellar and its wine making facilities can be
found in a typical rustic eighteenth century house, while the vineyards stretch
across the hills of the Bure region into the area of Traversagna di
Sant’Ambrogio. The land is perfect for local vine cultivation such as the
Veronese Corvina, the Rondinella, the Oseleta and the Croatina. These “classic” vines create wines that are faithful to their origins. Wines such as
Amarone, Passito, Recioto, Valpolicella but there is also an extra gem: the
Pelara, produced from a local and now very rare vine – that is subject to bud
loss and has a sparse grape cluster (hence the name “Pelara” that means
Skinned) and is only cultivated by Monte Faustino, Corte Aleardi, Tenuta Pule
and Vaona Odino. The wine that is produced is slightly bitter and has a hint of
pepper and a good acidity and makes a wonderful companion to fish and stock
fish. This is a wine that is produced for pure enjoyment, to be drunk in the
company of friends, with a timeless quality that defies trends, yet offers the satisfaction of unusual flavours that await to be enjoyed and appreciated.
PULE’S FARM – GALTAROSSA.
This agricultural company is located in S.Pietro in Cariano, in the heart of
Valpolicella, and stretches for 130 hectares around the sixteenth century Villa
Galtarossa. It presents high-quality wines like Valpolicella, Amarone and
Pellagra Tenuta Pule : this one refers to an ancient vine species that has been
rediscovered, and made wine, after years of neglect. Not only Pule’s Company
is a leader in Italy, but it also has an excellent reputation at an international
level. Moreover, this farm opens the door to everyone who wants to visit and
taste its wines and food. Pule’s Farm is property of the Galtarossa Family
which is an important name in Italy in the industrial sector too. The family
own a famous farm holiday not far from Villa Pulle’, where it is possible to
spend a good and relaxing time.
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VICARIATE OF THE VALPOLICELLA
Among the political events of this fair land, it is important to include the brief
period of the County of Valpolicella: in 1311, the emperor Henry VII named
Frederick, cousin of Can Grande Della Scala, Count of Valpolicella, and set up
residence in a palace at Ponton. He signed an agreement with the Scaligeri
family and the Verona council to restore the castle of Marano, but after only
15 years the count was exiled due to a plot against Can Grande. Following
this, for the entire Scaligeri period and especially in 1405, with the nomination
of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, brought a period of partial autonomy
for the Vicariate of the Valpolicella: the inhabitants of the valley elected a
Vicar (a sort of Veneto government commissioner, who in other areas was chosen from the echelons) from among the noble families of Verona ( who had
interests in the Valley), they were excused from fiscal charges, they paid no
duties for transporting wine in the city while civil jurisdiction was handled
locally: The palace still stands at San Pietro in Cariano (former municipal
building), easily recognisable for its numerous coats of arms of the Vicars plastering the façade and where the Vicariate received the leaders of the Valley and
held hearings and meetings.
From half way through the fifteenth century, the Domus Vallis Pullicelle was
the seat of the Vicariate of the Valpolicella for almost four centuries until
1805, when it finished following the fall of the Republic of Venice and subsequent foreign domination. Some of the paintings that adorn the walls are of
major artistic interest, in particular the altar painting by Alessandro
Marchesini, depicting Saint Clare protecting the Valpolicella.
BYBLOS ART HOTEL VILLA AMISTA’
Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà, opened in 2005, is a sumptuous, five-star luxury hotel located in the pleasant town of Corrubbio, in the heart of the
Valpolicella hills. The owner, Dino Facchini, is a very successful manufacturer,
known all over the world for the clothing brand “Swinger” and the brand
“Byblos” of reading glasses and sunglasses.
The hotel originates inside an ancient fifteenth century villa, the façade of
which was designed in perfect Venetian style by the architect Michele
Sanmicheli. The present-day building dates back to the second half of the
eighteenth century and is the work of the architect Ignazio Pellegrini. Its interior combines two styles: the seventeenth century Baroque and the ultra-modern Design. Though seemingly in contrast, these two styles have been positively harmonized by the refined creativity of the renowned architect Alessandro
Mendini. A magnificent park of over twenty thousand square metres, an
immense hall with a majestic Venetian chandelier, marvellous ceilings and frescoes, two conference rooms, three dining rooms with a haute-cuisine restaurant, the fifteenth century vaulted wine cellar (where one can taste over 300
different wines), the pool and the beauty centre (managed by Dominique and
Henry Chenot), all function as the framework of this exclusive luxury hotel.
The interior decoration leaves one speechless and sees the convergence of three
figurative styles. First of all there is the revision and re-design of the furnishings, with special care devoted to colours, so as to give a contemporary reading
key to the sixteenth-to-eighteenth century iconography. Next one can note the
introduction of carefully selected pieces of furniture, lamps and famous design
objects everywhere, so as to constitute a true and proper collection : in brief a
kind of museum where each object is fully captioned. Finally, one finds the
presence of a refined contemporary art collection, resulting from the love for
art of both the owner and his daughter Masha, who manages an art gallery in
downtown Verona.
One can also admire the photographs of the performances by Vanessa Beecroft,
an artist most esteemed by international critics. The pictures depict nude
female bodies: delicate, red-haired young ladies; indifferent, threadlike figures
that stand out on the large hall walls. Finally, some of the most significant
objects, designed especially for the hotel (chairs, pillows, cloth, silverware, candelabra, plates, cups, the TV-bar set), make up a collection that guests may
purchase. The careful combination of all these different elements transforms
the interior decoration project into a fascinating theatrical scene, and introduces the guests to a luxurious neo-Baroque experience skilfully played
between antiquity and future.
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THE MAGNIFICENCE OF VILLA DEL QUAR AND THE REFINEMENT OF ITS RESTAURANT
Let us imagine the casino of Venice on a dark night at the beginning of the
twentieth century, and a renowned silk manufacturer -Alfredo Danese- who
witnesses another rich gentleman win a magnificent fourteenth–century villa
in the heart of the Veronese hills. A fortunate circumstance that spelled out the
destiny of Alfredo Danese -who did not miss the opportunity to buy the villaand of his heirs, the Montresors, who during the past few decades made it
become an elegant and fascinating hotel, where the guests can re-live the splendour of a glorious past. A winning philosophy that has turned Villa del Quar
into one of the best Italian hotels, awarded three golden keys by the Gambero
Rosso travel guide for nine years in a row.
Contributing to this success is the Arquade Restaurant, skilfully managed by
the prestigious chef Bruno Barbieri. The restaurant is divided into two dining
rooms : the more private “Tresor”, and the second one called “Eurosia” which
has vaulted ceiling, because it was once a small church, and is lit up by a central huge Venetian chandelier. In the summertime the outdoor restaurant is
also very beautiful with its view to the garden and the surrounding hills covered with cherry trees, grapevines and cypresses. From these hills a blissful
breeze blows down in the evenings, and gives a cool relief by lowering the hot
summer temperature, thus making the stop-over particularly enjoyable.
SPERI: A GREAT FAMILY, A GREAT TRADITION
Cru is a truly native wine. The Speri family has, in fact, four great wines, all
made from Valpolicella grapes: Roverina, Sant’Urbano, Roggia, Comunai and
from these grapes they ooze generous and characteristic wines nurtured by
experience, passion and professionalism and cultivated by more than a century
old tradition. The perfect production years for Amarone are now too numerous
to count, as is the case for Recioto, Valpolicella Classico and Ripasso, all wines
that have the guarantee of quality and refinement embossed in the Cru label.
Carlo Speri, who takes his name from the legendary original head of the family, has not only made incisive contributions to the already famous company but
is also an ardent lover of Haute Cuisine. He is a chef and an animated literary
patron, who lent his wisdom to advising on the marrying of wine with food to
the internationally renowned chef Bruno Barbieri, the noted leader of the
famous Arquade Restaurant at the Hotel Villa del Quar and this advice was
turned into a delightful illustrated book that provides excellent insight into
unknown wines. The book “The Grape on the Plate” opens its appraisal with
these words: “A single grape can envelop a microcosm of flavours, light, land,
rain of a tiny terrain transformed and captured beneath its skin…”.
ACCORDINI
This family business has a long tradition. Now run by Stefano Accordini, his
wife Giuseppina and their children Tiziano and Daniele, it stands in Pedemonte.
Since the beginning of last century the Accordinis have been growing this land,
which they did not own before the 1970s. They grew olives, grapes, wheat, cherries and hay. In 1982, thanks to Daniele Accordini the company I experienced a
big change. Buying 2 hectares of land in Fumane allowed the family to enlarge
their prduction. 4 hectares bought later allowed this company to become one of
the most important companies in Valpolicella. The Accordini’s hospitality lets
guests enjoy their products in their comfortable taverna.
THE TOMMASI FAMILY AND ITS VILLAS
Villa Quaranta stands in the heart of the way connecting Verona to Trento. In
the past Villa Quaranta and few other buildings – a little church, a tavern, an
inn and a post house-, were a place where travellers could rest. The villa presents a symmetrical façade, in its middle there is a beautiful three-arch loggia.
Behind the Villa it is possible to visit the courtyard and the vestry. Villa
Quaranta presents a big hall, named “Hall of the Zar” as in 1822 Alexander I
spent some time in it. Marble stairs lead to the first floor, especially to the
great “Hall of Arts” with its frescoed ceiling. This is just one of the marvellous
properties of the Tommasi Family; Villa Buri Avanzi, in the middle of
Valpolicella territory, is a peaceful paradise where to meditate in the good company of the frescoes admirable everywhere inside the Villa. The Tommasi
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Family also offers the chance to taste their wines, from Amarone to
Valpolicella Classico Superiore - wines produced with unfailing passion and
care, in the same tradition as yesterday’s.
Now the Bonazzi brothers have enclosed the story of Anastasia in their Passito
wine made with the grape varieties of Garganega, Castelli romani, Pinot and
Trebbiano : a small treasure returned to the Romanovs.
ALDRIGHETTI: GUARDIANS OF ANCIENT FAMILIES’ MEMORIES
Finding a 14th century building in Valgatara takes us back to the age of knights
and maids, which reaches us through time, from the far Midlle Ages. But something has not gone lost during these centuries and it is the centenarian tradition
of the Aldrighetti family, who still grow wine in this old building. The presence
of the Aldrighettis in Valgatara is certified by some documents produced by an
ancestor of the family, a priest, who at the time worked as a notary as well. The
family jealously guards these memories.
CA LA BIONDA: A FAMILY BOUND TO WINE FOR LONGER THAN
100 YEARS
Pietro Castellani founded in 1902 this cantina and the area called La Bionda.
Thanks to his son Michele, father of today’s owner, wine production became a
specialty for the Castellani family. In 1998 it underwent restoration both in
structure and production typology. Excellent are its Amarone and Valpolicella.
The Castellanis also have good care of the environment and do not use chemical
products which may affect it.
ANTOLINI: A YOUNG AND DYNAMIC ENTERPRISE
When visiting the agricultural farm of the brothers Pier Paolo and Stefano
Antolini in Marano di Valpolicella, you get infected by the enthusiasm typical
of young people who believe in what they do. Thanks to a wise public administration, the valley where their vinery farm is located represents an example of
the best-preserved ones in relation to the building eyesores and damages
caused to the local landscape by a wild construction boom in the area. For
this reason it could be defined as the Switzerland of the Valpolicella region,
due to the preserved orderly beauty of its landscape.
The vineyards are situated at an altitude ranging between 250 and 300 metres
above sea level and the soil is mainly of a clayey nature. Many rows of vines
are planted on marvellous terraces called “marogne” where it has been found
room for olive and cherry trees too.
The Antolini brothers devoted a great part of their initial work to restoring
the“marogne,” the parched, stony walls that are typical of the Valpolicella
region, by fixing the stones that had come loose strictly following traditional
methods.
The same passion moves the farm in the vinification process. “The respect for
tradition and the typicality of wines are and will always be a fundamental
value for the company which, ignoring short-lived trends, wants to greatly
increase the value of the autochthonous grape species, the land and the job of
the vine-dresser”explains Pier Paolo.
Ever since starting the business, the Antolinis have chosen to operate in
respect for the environment, practising a targeted, integrated fight aimed at
using as few parasiticidal products as possible.
CORTE CAMPAGNOLA: A COMPANY EXALTING FAMILY TRADITIONS
Just mention the name of the “Corte Campagnola” company and you have
automatically named a wine cellar that dates back to the nineteenth century
when Carlo Campagnola launched himself as a wine maker at “Gaso” in the
Valpolicella Marano area. It is in this historic “Campagnola” courtyard – a
splendid building of stone walls and vaulted ceilings that perfectly assists the
aging process of the wine – that Fernando Campagnola, the current owner,
conducts his activity, driven with a passion that underlies his professionalism
and technical capabilities. These qualities assist Fernando in his goal of producing unique wines. He carefully tracks each phase of the wine making process,
harvest, selection, the natural drying of the grapes that create Amarone and
Recioto, wine making and ageing. Because of this, classic wines are born from
the Corvina and Rondinella grapes that grow on the property and have incredible depth and perfume, body and flavour, all in complete harmony. Unique
wines that gift the taster – perhaps in the tasting halls of the company rich
with charm and tradition – with true emotion.
BONAZZI’S WINERY AND ANASTASIA’S MISTERY
Located in Badin di Marano di Valpollicella, the agricultural farm of the
Bonazzi brothers, stretches at the beginning of the valley on the hills that
offer a gorgeous view of thriving vineyards : it is a winery boasting an enviable
history and tradition.
Their wines are often awarded prizes at a worldwide level.
One bottle of wine, amongst many, however, acts as a testimony to an important event the Bonazzi family lived. It contains a sweet and delicate white
wine with floral scents, a Veronese IGT Passito called Granduchessa (grand
duchess).
It is precisely in this name that is encompassed the story documented by the
photograph of a thirty-year-old woman sitting on the grass: “The Russian
Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov who lived with us from October 1941 to
June 1943 and arrived here as Nadia Lombard”, reads the caption.
She was the daughter of Tsar Nicholas II who was deposed during the Russian
Revolution in 1917. The odyssey of the imperial family, who were initially
interned in various Russian prisons, has filled many history books. Following
the Local Soviet’s order, on the night of 16 July 1918, Nicholas II was assassinated in the basement of Ipatiev house together with Empress Alexandra
Federovna, their son Alexis and their daughters, the grand duchesses Olga,
Tatiana, Marie and Anastasia who was the youngest child : her mother fell
dead on her body, thus saving her life.
Someone loyal to the Tsar succeeded in saving Anastasia and raised her under
false name. She later married the cavalry general Lombard, and with him she
reached the Valpolicella region where she stayed for a number of years.
SAN RUSTICO THE BRAND, CAMPAGNOLA THE SURNAME,
AMARONE GASO THE NAME
They are considered the Magnificent Seven of the Valpolicella: Luigi and
Danilo are the owners of the vineyard, Marco is the oenologist, Enrico is the
wine expert, Sabrina is the economist, Gisella is the lawyer, Stefania is the
“foreigner”…each of them have a precise mission within the company, part of
the production, each making an invaluable contribution to the international
success of the team. The wines are of course the leaders of the team, deserving
the praise and awards that they have received since 1908, that embellish the
walls of the vineyard, acknowledging wines that are the toast of the
Valpolicella. The Campagnola family, as with many others of long standing
tradition (the Nicolis, Tommasi and Lavagno Fraccaroli families spring to
mind) is a large family, justifiably rooted in the land and in the vines and carry
a passion that lies at the heart of “true” country folk, a heart that pumps wine
not blood, part of the painstaking miracle of this wonderful countryside.
DEGANI: ITS STRENGTH LIES N TRADITION
This company is based in Marano di Valpolicella. The Deganis have grown
wine since the beginning of the XXth century but only since the 1990s their
production has improved greatly. Its vineyards cover Valgatara and Fumane
and the business is run by the family’s love for wine and their passion for traditional methods. Vintage is manual and grapes are naturally dried. Their aim
is finding excellence through tradition.
GIUSEPPE CAMPAGNOLA S.P.A: A HUGE SUCCESS WITH DEEP
ROOTS
The third “child” opened by the company, started at the end of the eighteen
hundreds by Carlo Campagnola, in the area of “Gaso” at Marano di
Valpolicella (together with “Corte Campagnola” and “San Rustico). The wine
maker “Giuseppe Campagnola” has continued this activity for more than half a
century, expanding the production that was begun by the brothers Giancarlo
and Luigi in Valgatara. The current owner Giuseppe, flanked by his father
Luigi, carries on the activity with passion and dedication, mindful from experi-
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ence that if «the family holdings are divided among the heirs, the love of wine
will be passed whole to each generation». With this knowledge, the
Campagnolas carry on the cultivation of vines and the selection of grapes. It is
a task that is rigorously manual, faithful to the old traditions that combine
with the ability to exploit new techniques and research. Beside the historic bottling hall – hailing to the first half of the nineteen hundreds typically constructed in stone - and the new wine maturing hall, also built true to tradition,
there is a laboratory for chemical and biological analysis packed with the latest
equipment, to ensure the best and most reliable results. It is thanks to the laboratory’s work that the drying phase, vital to the production of the prestigious
Valpolicella passiti wines, has evolved using technology that is capable of controlling the process and maintaining the wine characteristics . This success has
encouraged the company to promote a consortium of wine producers to create a
grape drying plant for the Amarone and Recioto grape to help the execution of
the traditional process in a more hygienic way. It is an excellent example of
how tradition and innovation can coexist and produce wines of the highest
quality that highlight the potential of the entire territory.
VILLA ROVERETI: COUNT RIZZARDI’S SUMMER HOUSE
Villa Rovereti stands on a hill in Negrar. This 1700s building is sided by a chapel
dedicated to the Assunta, and the rectangular back court is surrounded by rustics. The little church is the most interesting element of the whole complex. It
was built in 1753 by Giampaolo Rovereti. The garden is very refined. The building’s main façade features large arched windows. Since the end of the 1800s it is
a property of the Rizzardis’ which have used it as a summer house for decades.
RECCHIA: GOOD QUALITY, GOOD PRICE
In 1906 Giovanni Recchia bought some land in Jago, near Negrar. His son
Enrico continued this activity in a more professional perspective, but it was only
in the 1970s that Riccardo and Roberto enlarged this company. Their land covers the hills of Valpolicella and their vineyards are Corvina, Rondinella and
Molinara, which produce the typical wines of Valpolicella. Now this company’s
passion has taken to success which is internationally renowned.
THE RECIOTO PALIO (STAKES) AT NEGRAR
Negrar boasts one of the oldest traditions in wine celebration: the Palio del
Recioto that was created first in 1953 and was such an innovation to be reported in the national “Domenica del Corriere” weekly whose reporter, Giuseppe
Silvestri, described it as a “peaceful rivalry between wine producers”.
The Chamber of Commerce joined its forces with the local Negrar Council to
promote the event that was carried out in a very simple way: a panel of experts
judged a selection of wines, with their labels hidden by brown paper bags, and
the best one was chosen. The prize was brocade, embroidered with the name
and locality of the winner but it was not presented to the winner, rather it was
stored at his local council offices until the following Palio. Since then, the
Palio has awarded hundreds of producers in the name of excellent wine, thus
considerably promoting their image.
Over the years, the event has been enriched by additional activities: folklore
groups, charity fishing, firework displays and sporting events, including an
international cycling race.
By the time of the second event on 19th April 1954, the “Corriere di Verona”
called it a “Terrific throng at the Recioto festival”.
Since 2006, when Valentino Viviani was appointed the chairman of the committee for the event , the Palio has expanded further, in an effort to shake off,
without negating, its local mantle. The Palio has become the focal point in
oenological and territorial promotion by: participating in the Vinitaly National
Wine Exhibition with a symposium on wine trade over the internet; a wine
tasting booth at the Verona Catullo airport; and an increase of information
divulgation.
2007 brings further innovation: an international programme that hosts wine
producers from beyond the Alps and the South of France with their out of
competition wines. This is a wonderful opportunity for growth through collaboration and comparison aiming to ad launching the Valpolicella Brand name
with its distinct characteristics on a wider European arena.
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GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI: THE MYTH!
The origin of this company goes back to the beginning of the 1900s, when Silvio
Quintarelli farmed some land in Figari, in Valpolicella. This wine had already
reached an excellent quality and was exported to the USA. His son, Giuseppe,
now continues this tradition with his family, and his company has seen great success especially in the 1950s the peak of Amarone’s success. Giuseppe checks
every step of his production and produces wines of fine quality. He never wanted to increment his activity greatly if this meant decreasing his wines’ quality. A
quality which has reached the world, but that is still attached to its own territory.
TOMMASO BUSSOLA: THE VICTORY OF PATIENCE
Tommaso Bussola was a young man when, in 1977, he was introduced to the
world of wine by his uncle. His obstinate determination brought the company,
and himself, to the international success. After reaching fame with the label “b
g” (initials of his uncle’s name -Giuseppe-), he decided to start working on the
quality of his wines and since 1983 he has gained several prizes in many wine
competitions. In ‘92/’93 he built a new wine cellar, equipped with new casks
(barriques), in which wines improve their quality thanks to a better and
longer fermentation. The new wines are labelled “t b” (initials of his own
name). The company keeps growing, but the huge yearly quantity of bottles
produced does not in the least jeopardize the high qualityof the wines.
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oenological studies and, after his marriage with Marta, he started travelling
around Italy to find out more about techniques and vineyards. This hard land
was both a tragedy and a fortune for the family. All the effort made in making
this land good for farming paid off well. This family’s wines are the excellent
results of the work of Arnaldo’s son Marco, who dedicated to his mother, Marta,
the most precious of their wines.
MAZZI: AN ANCIENT FAMILY WITH AN EXCELLENT TASTE
Mazzi Roberto and Son is in San Peretto di Negrar. Its premises are in a characteristic medieval court. The family has been here for centuries now and has
always been involved in wine production. During the 1800s their activity had
greatly risen under the lead of Gesuina Dall’Ora. All the members of this family were engaged in the business. More recent history confirms the continuity of
this great tradition and Roberto’s Amarone, Valpolicella and Recioto are wines
of excellent quality. It is possible to enjoy them at “Antica Corte al Molino”, the
family- run restaurant.
SARTORI: MAKING THE HISTORY OF VALPOLICELLA
Pietro Sartori bought Villa Maria in 1898 and his wines were well known
around the area. His son Regolo continued this tradition which experienced its
peak with Regolo’s sons Franco and Pier Umberto who, in the 1960s, made their
company an internationally known structure. Today this machine is run by their
sons, Andrea, Luca and Paolo who combined their long tradition with new technologies, renovating the whole cellar in 2005. An agreement with Cantina
Sociale Colognola ai Colli has increased the export of this company. Visits are
organised for schools, where children are instructed on the processes involved in
wine making.
VILLA GESI
Villa Gesi is a cute Bed and breakfast plunged in the green belt of Negrar. It
was originally a country cottage made of local white stone. In renovating it,
the owner, Patrizia Gesino, tried to preserve the ancient charm of the building.
In fact, every room is decorated with old nineteenth century furniture, which
has been carefully restored. Modern comforts were also added. The best feature of Villa Gesi is undoubtedly the food supplied there. The aperitif gives a
chance to taste the excellent wines of the Valpolicella region, accompanied by a
series of local delicacies (typical salami, soppressa and cheese varieties). The
first and main courses, carefully prepared by Mrs. Gesino and the rest of her
staff, give the guest a chance to try the region’s specialities. Villa Gesi was created out of the desire to offer a welcoming, experience which focuses on the
guests and their need to feel welcomed and not simply considered as numbers
or income sources, but rather as friends to whom it is nice to tell the story of
Valpolicella and the origin of its delicious food and wines. Thus, over a warm
apple pie, a glass of Recioto wine and a fresh fruit salad, guests of all nationalities can relax, become friends and toast together.
RAGOSE
Le Ragose in 1969 were an abandoned land near Arbizzano, which was to be
transformed into vineyard by Arnaldo Galli. His passion for wine led him in his
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GESCHICHTE DER VALPOLICELLA-REGION
Eigentlich handelt es sich bei der Valpolicella nicht so sehr um ein Tal, als vielmehr um mehrere kleine Täler, die von den Lessinia-Bergen nach Süden zur
Etsch hin abfallen, sich von den Hügeln nördlich von Verona bis zum Monte
Baldo erstreckend. Ihr angenehmes Klima, die sanften Hügel und die zahlreichen Quellen hatten zur Folge, dass die Valpolicella schon in vorgeschichtlicher
Zeit dicht bevölkert war und seit der Renaissance zahlreichen Adelsfamilien aus
Verona und Venedig als Sommersitz diente, die dort elegante, von Gärten und
Parks umgebene Villen errichten ließen.
Seit der Antike wurden in der Valpolicella außerdem besonders erlesener Wein
angebaut und Marmor und Steinplatten verarbeitet, beides Tätigkeiten, die
auch heute die wirtschaftliche Grundlage des Gebiets darstellen.
Die Geschichte der Valpolicella reicht sehr weit zurück: Die ersten Spuren
menschlicher Präsenz, die bei dem Ponte di Veia gefunden wurden, sind über
100 000 Jahre alt, während wenig später die Grotte von Fumane fast ununterbrochen über 50 000 Jahre zuerst vom Homo neanderthalensis und dann vom
Homo sapiens bewohnt worden ist.
Danach sind Spuren aus allen Epochen vorhanden, und um ca. 2500 v. Chr. ist
bereits der Weinbau nachgewiesen. Während der Römerzeit blühte der Handel
mit Wein und Marmor, es wurden die Reste zweier großer Villen aus der spätrömischen Zeit gefunden, und zwar in Villa di Negrar und in San Pietro di
Fumane.
Nach dem Ende der Römerzeit wurden auch hier die Steine der Tempel zum
Bau von Kirchen verwendet, wie sich an vielen Stellen an den römischen
Inschriften erkennen lässt. Beim Erdbeben von 1117 wurden sie zerstört, aber
danach alle wieder aufgebaut, denn in dieser Zeit befand sich die Region
sowohl in demografischer wie in ökonomischer Hinsicht in Expansion. Fast alle
heute vorhandenen Ansiedlungen sind schon in den Dokumenten des 12. Jh.
bekannt Auf diese Zeit der Vorherrschaft der Stadt Verona geht auch der verstärkte Handel mit bearbeiteten Steinplatten und dem roten Marmor zurück,
der für den Bau vieler Kathedralen in den norditalienischen Städten verwendet
wurde: in Ferrara, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Parma.
Der Vorherrschaft der Stadt folgt die der Scaliger. Federico della Scala wird 1311
von seinem Cousin Cangrande della Scala zum Grafen der Valpolicella ernannt
und lässt dort in den folgenden 15 Jahren verschiedene Paläste errichten und
die Burg von Marano erneuern und vergrößern.
Mit dem Fall des Herrscherhauses della Scala kommt die gesamte Provinz für
einige Jahre unter die Herrschaft der Visconti, um danach fast vier Jahrhunderte
lang der Republik Venedig anzugehören bis zu deren Untergang im Jahr 1797.
Für ihre Treue gewährt Venedig der Valpolicella eine gewisse Autonomie und
in dieser Blütezeit entstehen ungefähr hundert Ville Venete, vor allem am Fuß
der Hügel und in der Nähe der Etsch, an den Hauptstraßen.
Um 1630 wird auch die Valpolicella, wie ganz Italien, von der Pest heimgesucht: im Lauf eines Jahres stirbt über die Hälfte der Bewohner. Es wird lange
dauern bis das vormalige demografische und ökonomische Niveau wieder
erreicht ist.
Das Ende der Republik und Napoleon Bonapartes Ankunft in Italien führen zu
einer schweren Krise des italienischen Adels und neue bürgerliche
Handelsfamilien werden mächtig, aber das Leben auf dem Land ändert sich
wenig. Mit dem Wiener Kongress beginnt die Vorherrschaft Österreichs, die vor
allem durch den Bau verschiedener Festungen in Erscheinung trat.
Das 19. Jh. ist hart für die Bauern: die Verträge zur Bewirtschaftung sind noch
ungünstiger und es gibt häufige Hungersnöte, da schwere Krankheiten die
Rebstöcke, die Seidenraupen und die Olivenbäume befallen. Es beginnt die
erste Welle der Emigration, vor allem der Bewohner der höher gelegenen
Gebiete der Valpolicella, die schon schon seit Jahren als Saisonarbeiter nördlich
der Alpen auf dem Bau oder unter Tage arbeiteten.
Gegen Ende des 19. Jh. verbreitet sich in den größeren Anwesen ein spezialisierter Weinbau, es entstehen die ersten modernen Kellereien und
Winzergenossenschaften, deren Wein auf den großen internationalen Messen in
Wien und Paris vorgestellt wird. Allerdings wurde zwischen Ende des 19. und
Anfang des 20.Jh. der gesamte Rebbestand durch eine Krankheit zerstört,
sodass mit der Neubepflanzung sich auch der Anblick der Landschaft änderte:
die neuen Reben wuchsen nicht mehr von Bäumen gestützt, sondern in regel-
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mäßigen Reihen an Holzpfosten.
Die beiden Weltkriege hatten große Bedeutung für das Gebiet, einmal wegen
der Nähe zur Front im Ersten Weltkrieg, wegen seiner strategischen Lage an
der Brennereisenbahn und als Zuflucht und Schutz für den Widerstand im
Zweiten Weltkrieg.
In der Nachkriegszeit, nachdem in den ersten zehn Jahren eine starke
Landflucht zu verzeichnen war, begann langsam eine Rückkehr zuerst zum
Obstanbau, dann zum Qualitätsweinbau.
Durch die Ausdehnung der Stadt Verona infolge des Wirtschaftsbooms der 80er
Jahre des 20. Jh. sind die in der Ebene gelegenen Gebiete der Valpolicella stark
bebaut und besiedelt worden. Um eine noch nicht zersiedelte Landschaft zu
erleben, genügt es, die Seitentäler und die hügeligen Gebiete der Valpolicella zu
besuchen.
Brücke von Veja
Sie ist durch das Seitental von Negrar zu erreichen und beeindruckt wegen ihrer
lichten Höhe von ca. 50 m. Es handelt sich um einen natürlichen Steinbogen,
der durch Wassererosion entstanden ist. Seit alten Zeiten bei den meisten italienischen Künstlern bekannt, ist sie seit Jahrhunderten auf zahlreichen
Gemälden und Drucken abgebildet worden.
Naturpark und Wasserfälle von Molina
Am Ende des Tals von Fumane in der Nähe des kleinen Orts namens Molina
ist ein Naturpark eingerichtet worden, der zum Park der Lessinia-Berge gehört.
An dieser Stelle treffen mehrere Bäche zusammen und bilden einige eindrucksvolle Wasserfälle, die sich auf abgesicherten Wegen aus der Nähe besichtigen
lassen.
Covoli di Marano
Nordwestlich von Marano di Valpolicella an der Wasserscheide zum FumaneTal sind zwei Grotten entdeckt worden, die in der Vorgeschichte als
Unterschlupf und Grab dienten. Sie sind im Karst entstanden und weisen zahlreiche Kalkablagerungen auf.
Monte Pastello
Er ist von weitem an dem riesigen Steinbruch zu erkennen, der den Roten
Veroneser Marmor für den Export in die ganze Welt geliefert hat. Von seinem
Gipfel hat man einen wunderbaren Blick auf den Gardasee, die Alpen, bis nach
Verona und zu den Voralpen von Brescia.
Paläontologisches Museum von Sant´Anna di Alfaedo
Wir finden dort einige interessante Fossilien, auch von großen Tieren wie
Schildkröten und Haien, die bei den Steinbrucharbeiten und der Bearbeitung
der Steinplatten zum Vorschein kamen. Das Museum zeigt auch eine
Rekonstruktion der Landschaft vor 50 Millionen Jahren, als die
Hügellandschaft der Lessina eine Lagune war.
KIRCHEN UND VILLEN
Pfarrgemeinde San Giorgio
San Giorgio Ingannapoltron, heute zu Sant´Ambrogio gehörig, war zu Zeiten
der Arusnati, der vorrömischen Bevölkerung der Valpolicella-Region, das religiöse Zentrum gewesen und auch während des Mittelalters einer der lebendigsten Orte, aus dem viele meisterhafte Steinmetze hervorgingen.
Die Kirche, der Glockenturm und der Kreuzgang sind in romanischem Stil (12.
Jh.) erbaut, aber im Inneren sind zahlreiche Elemente, die auf ältere Zeit
zurückgehen.
Pfarrgemeinde San Floriano
Die glücklicherweise vollständig erhaltene romanische Kirche ist in den letzten
Jahren im Inneren radikal restauriert worden, wobei ein Großteil der
Barockelemente entfernt wurde, sodass wir heute wieder die ursprüngliche, einfarbig geometrische Dekoration des Hauptschiffs und der beiden durch Säulen
abgetrennten Seitenschiffe bewundern können.
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Kleinere Kirchen
An diese beiden Pfarrgemeinden und an San Martino di Negrar, von der heute
nur noch der Glockenturm zu sehen ist, waren zahlreiche kleinere mittelalterliche Kirchen gebunden. Auch San Pietro in Arbizzano war eine Zeit lang
Pfarrgemeinde und aus frühen Zeiten sind noch ein Relief der Kreuzigung und
das gotische Portal erhalten. Die Kirche von San Martino di Corrubbio geht aus
einem Anbau aus dem 15. Jh. an eine ältere romanische Kirche aus dem 12.Jh.
hervor, die eine große, mit Fresken versehene gotische Kapelle enthält, die San
Rocco geweiht war. Auch die mit den Flusssteinen der Etsch erbaute Kirche San
Michele in Arcé ist romanisch und enthält Fresken in der Apsis und an den
Seitenwänden.
Spätromanisch ist auch die Kirche San Marco (früher Santo Stefano) in
Valgatara mit zahlreichen Fresken aus dem 15. Jh. und einem flämischen
Altarbild von 1600. In Fumane finden wir zwei Schmuckstücke des romanischen Baustils, und zwar Santa Maria di Vaio und San Micheletto auf der
gegenüberliegenden Talseite. Es gibt dort noch eine dritte bemerkenswerte
Kirche, allerdings im Ortsteil Breonio. Sie heißt San Marziale und ihre Apsis ist
vollständig mit Fresken von Francesco Morone und Domenico Brusasorzi, zweier der wichtigsten Veroneser Maler des 16. Jh. ausgemalt und enthält außerdem
ein schönes hölzernes Altarbild von Francesco Badile aus dem selben
Jahrhundert.
zurückgehen, der 1353 Grund in Gargagnago gekauft hat. Auf einer Zeichnung
von Cristoforo Sorte aus dem Jahr 1591 ist das herrschaftliche Anwesen als
Wohnkomplex aus einem aus zwei Hauptgebäuden bestehenden Palazzo zu
sehen. Die heutige Villa ist des Ergebnis aus der Abfolge verschiedener
Gebäude. Die Räumlichkeiten sind reich dekoriert, ganz besonders zwei Säle,
die Ende des 18. und Anfang des 19.Jh. mit Figuren römischer Gottheiten und
Trompe d´oueils von Landschaften ausgestattet wurden.
Brunnen
Bis vor ca. 40 Jahren war nicht der Dorfplatz das Zentrum der kleinen Orte,
sondern der Brunnen. Die Frauen verbrachten dort viele Stunden, um die
Wäsche zu besorgen, oder um mit zwei auf den Schultern getragenen Eimern
Wasser für den Haushalt zu holen. Die Männer hingegen tränkten dort die
Tiere aus dem Stall und verdünnten den Grünspan, das traditionelle
Schutzmittel für die Reben.
Der Brunnen war nämlich nicht nur mit einem Hähnen für das Trinkwasser
versehen, sondern auch mit einigen Becken aus Stein, deren Rand mit schrägen
Platten zum Wäsche waschen ausgestattet war.
Die zentrale Bedeutung der Brunnen im Leben eines Dorfs und damit das
Bedürfnis, ihre Technik ständig zu verbessern, haben dazu geführt, dass die
Bewohner der Valpolicella ihre Brunnen häufig erneuerten, was man daran
erkennen kann, dass im Stein dieser Brunnen meistens mehrere Daten eingraviert sind.
Villa Della Torre-Cazzola
Diese Villa ist im 16.Jh. unter Guido Della Torre erbaut worden. Sie besteht
aus zwei gegenüberliegenden, mit jeweils einem Türmchen ausgestatteten
Hauptgebäuden, die durch Arkaden miteinander verbunden sind. Das Peristyl
und der Garten in leichter Hanglage sind mit zahlreichen Springbrunnen und
Wasserbecken, Statuen und Freitreppen mit Balustraden ausgestattet. Der kleine, achteckige Pavillon der Villa soll Werk des Veroneser Baumeisters Michele
Sanmicheli sein.
Bildstöcke und Kreuze
Wenn auch heute kaum noch sichtbar wegen des schnellen Verkehrs auf asphaltierten Straßen, gibt es doch noch eine große Zahl an Kreuzen aus Stein oder
Holz, an Bildstöcken, auf denen Märtyrer mitsamt den Werkzeugen ihrer Folter
dargestellt sind, oder ausgemalte Kapellchen und an bestimmte Heilige gerichtete Votivtafeln, die das Unheil in Form von Hagel, Feuer und Krankheit von
den Armen abwenden sollten. Heute sind viele von diesen Zeugnissen des
Volksglaubens in schlechtem Zustand, die Fresken oft verwaschen und die
Heiligenfiguren entwendet und/oder durch Plastikfiguren ersetzt, die den
Vandalen weniger Anreiz bieten. Eigentlich scheint niemand mehr auf die
Straßenheiligen zu achten, aber dennoch hat jemand hier ein Blumensträußchen
aus Plastik, dort eine Weintraube der Madonna in den Schoß gelegt.
VILLEN
Als Villa bezeichnet man einen Gebäudekomplex, der meistens aus einem
architektonisch bedeutenden Hauptgebäude und mehreren Nebengebäuden
besteht und in einem von einer Mauer umgebenen Park, häufig mit eigener
Kapelle, liegt, der seinerseits zu einem großen Gut gehört. Von solchen Villen
hat die Valpolicella nicht weniger als 80, die meisten aus der Zeit der
Vorherrschaft Venedigs (1405-1798). Heute sind nur wenige für das Publikum
geöffnet und wenn, dann zu sehr begrenzten Eintrittszeiten, aber die meisten
können von außen besichtigt werden.
Villa Serego-Alighieri in Gargagnago
Die Villa liegt am Fuß des Hügels San Giorgio und soll auf Dante Alighieri
Villa Giona in Cengia di Negarine
Die von der Familie Giona am Anfang des 16. Jh. im Stil der Renaissance
erbaute Villa liegt am östlichen Abhang des Hügels von Castelrotto. Es handelt
sich um ein schönes, perfekt proportioniertes Gebäude mit zwei Seitenflügeln,
die von zwei Türmen abgeschlossen sind und den Garten umschließen, der nun
wieder in seiner ursprünglichen Form zu sehen ist.
Villa Santa Sofia di Santa Sofia
Die nach einem in der Nähe liegenden gotischen Kirchlein benannte Villa Santa
Sofia liegt in Pedemonte. Das Fassade des zweistöckigen Gebäudes in U-Form
ruht auf einer Reihe ionischer Säulen, die im ersten Stock durch eine elegante
Balustrade verbunden sind. Zur Villa gehört ein großer Park im Stil des 19.Jh.
mit Teich, Gartenhaus, Rosengarten und Limonaia.
Villa Del Bene
Die in Volargne gelegene Villa Del Bene ist eines der wichtigsten RenaissanceBauwerke von Verona. Der aus dem 15. Jh. stammende Gebäudekomplex hat
einen von einer Loggia umgebenen Kern, an den sich weitere Gebäude im Stil
des Sanmicheli anschließen.
Auch das Portal, das in den kleinen, von einer Mauer umgebenen Innenhof
führt und der Turm über dem zweiten, größeren Hof mit Nebengebäuden sollen auf Sanmicheli zurückgehen. Bedeutende Meister des 16. Jh. wie Giovanni
und Gianfranco Caroto, Domenico Brusasorzi, Bernardino India und Nicolò
Crollalanza malten den Treppenaufgang, die Loggia, den Hauptsaal und die
inneren Räume der Villa mit herrlichen Fresken aus, die neuerdings restauriert
wurden.
Villa Nichesola
Diese in Ponton gelegene Villa scheint außerlich in sehr schlechtem Zustand zu
sein, im Eingangshof sind jedoch noch deutlich sichtbare Spuren der ursprünglichen Bemalungen zu erkennen.
Einige Säle sind von Paolo Farinati, einem der bedeutendsten Veroneser Maler
des 16. Jh., mit mythologischen Figuren ausgemalt.
Villa Saibante Monga
Villa Saibante Monga liegt in San Pietro in Cariano und ist ein Gebäude im
Barockstil von Anfang des 17. Jh. Seine Architektur vermischt rustikale mit eleganten Elementen und im großen Saal sind die Fresken von Paolo Ligozzi
erhalten, die die vier Kontinente, allegorische Figuren und Szenen der
Mythologie symbolisieren.
Villa Rizzardi
Villa Rizzardi ist für ihren Garten berühmt, der in gutem Zustand ist und
besichtigt werden kann, während die eigentliche Villa aus dem19. Jh. stammt.
Der im 18. Jh. nach dem Entwurf des Architekten Luigi Trezza angelegte
Garten vereint verschiedene Stile auf geringem Raum: von regelmäßigen
Buchsbaumbeeten direkt vor der Villa zu den Springbrunnen mit Wasserspielen,
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wie sie im Barock beliebt waren, gelangt man in den oberen Teil des Gartens,
der mit großen Bäumen bepflanzt ist, zwischen denen fingierte Ruinen und
wilde Tiere nach romantischer Mode verteilt sind.
Villa Mosconi-Bertani
Zu dieser in Novare gelegenen Villa gehört ein wunderschöner Park, der allerdings erst Mitte des !9. Jh. entstand, während die Villa auf die Mitte des 17. Jh.
zurückgeht. Das erst in der zweiten Hälfte des selben Jahrhunderts fertig
gestellte Gebäude entspricht dem typischen Schema des 16. Jh. mit einem zentralen Hauptgebäude und zwei Seitenflügeln, die in zwei symmetrischen
Fassaden enden und durch einen den Garten abschließenden schmiedeeisernen
Zaun mit Obelisken und Amphoren verbunden sind.
Hinter der Villa befindet sich der große Park mit jahrhundertealten Bäumen,
Felsengarten und einem Teich.
DER GASTRONOMIEVERBAND “TAFELN DER VALPOLICELLA” –
ESSEN WIE EINST ZU HAUSE
Der Gastronomieverband “Tafeln der Valpolicella” ist 1997 aus dem Anliegen
heraus entstanden, den traditionellen Gerichten eines an Geschichte und
Tradition reichen Landstrichs neues Leben einzuhauchen - hier wo die tägliche
Arbeit der Menschen seit Urzeiten die Landschaft bearbeitet und geformt hat.
Die Schönheit dieser Landschaft, die Freuden einer gedeckten Tafel und ein
guter Tropfen Wein sind gewissermaßen das Gepäck für eine entspannte Reise
in eine lang vergangene Zeit, die in der Erinnerung ihrer Aromen fortlebt und
neu entdeckt werden will.
Die Esskultur war schon immer ein wichtiger Kanal für menschliche
Kommunikation, und Festmahle begleiten noch heute die wichtigsten Momente
im menschlichen Leben.
Hier, mitten im Duft und Aroma der Valpolicella, laden die Wirte des
Gastronomievereins in heimelige Räume ein, die alten Speisen und Weine
dieses Landstrichs aufs Neue zu genießen. Es erwarten Sie die Trattorien
„Stella“ in Arbizzano, „Al Capanno“ in Negrar, „Alla Ruota“ in Mazzano,
die Restaurants „Al Tesoro“ in Corrubio, „Da Bepi“ in Marano, „Alla Rosa
Scamperle“ in Fumane; die „Weinstube der Valpolicella”, ebenfalls in Fumane,
Die Weinstube mit Restaurant „Al covolo“ von Sant’Ambrogio, die Trattorien
„Da Nicola“ in Sant’Ambrogio und “Dalla Rosa Alda” in San Giorgio.
Überall hier werden Sie mit der gleichen Sympathie und Herzlichkeit empfangen - beinahe wie bei der Rückkehr in ein lang entbehrtes zu Hause.
DER GESCHMACK DER TRADITION
Die kulinarischen Gewohnheiten der Valpolicella waren stark vom Lauf der
Jahreszeiten und den Lebens- und Jahreszyklen beeinflusst. Die Vielfältigkeit
der Landschaft erlaubte es, die Traditionen der Ebene und die des Berglandes
zu vereinen und auszudifferenzieren.
Aus den Bergen etwa kommen die Milchprodukte und die Gnocchi (eine Art
Mehlspatzen), die das Traditionsgericht schlechthin überall im Landkreis
Verona waren, die jedoch hier ohne Eier, nur aus Wasser und Mehl bereitet
werden. Die Küche ist überwiegend einfach, beinahe eine Arme-Leute-Küche,
die an den Festtagen reicher gestaltet wurde. Die tägliche Suppe wurde zu
Brühe mit Teigeinlage und Leberstückchen, statt gewöhnlicher Soße aß man zu
feierlichen Gelegenheiten einen dampfenden Teller von Siedefleisch - Huhn,
Kalb, Zunge oder Truthahn - und reichte dazu „Peara“ (aus Brot und
Knochenmark), „grüne Soße“ (aus Ei, Petersilie, Brot und Sardellen) und Kren
(geriebenen Meerrettich).
Fisch war rar und fast ausschließlich für die Freitage der Fastenzeit reserviert:
Stockfisch, mit Milch, weißen Trauben und Zitronenschalen zubereitet, „renga“
(Hering) mit Essiggurken und Lorbeer oder eingesalzene Fische aus dem
Gardasee als Zubereitung für die handgedrehten bigoli (eine Art Spaghetti).
Eine traditionelle Küche erwartet sie, die neu entdeckt und interpretiert sein
will.
RISTORANTE ALLA ROSA
Das Restaurant Alla Rosa im Zentrum von Fumane im Valpolicella wurde
bereits 1850 von Gabriele Scamperle und seiner Frau Emilia Zanoni eröffnet.
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Vini
Diese zentrale Position hat im Laufe der vielen Jahre auch bedeutet, dass sich
dort ein Großteil des Fumaner Lebens abspielte, wie Hochzeiten, Taufen,
Versammlungen ortsansässiger Vereine, ja eine Zeit lang dienten einige Räume
der Locanda sogar als Praxis und Unterkunft des Arztes. Der heutige Inhaber
Andrea Scamperle, Urenkel von Emilia und Gabriele, erinnert sich noch gern
an die Erzählungen seiner Großmutter von guten wie schlechten Zeiten. Dieser
Geist der Tradition ist auch in der Küche präsent, die sich in Anlehnung an die
lokale Tradition weiterentwickelt, ohne die Qualität der Grundnahrungsmittel
zu vernachlässigen.
ACCORDINI: DIE ZUKUNFT HAT SCHON BEGONNEN.
In Pedemonte, das zu San Pietro in Cariano gehört, liegt das Winzergut der
Familie Stefano und Giuseppina Accordino, die seit 1982 aus dem Bauernhof
eine Hochburg des Weinanbaus gemacht hat. Besonders der Sohn Daniele, einer
der bekanntesten Weinkenner der Valpolicella, engagiert sich im elterlichen
Betrieb. Der Weinkeller der Familie wird umgebaut und die alten
Zementfässer durch Edelstahlfässer oder französische Holzfässer ersetzt. Im
Jahr 2000 erwirbt die Familie dann noch weitere Weinberge im Gebiet von
Fumane und kann dadurch die Qualität ihrer Weine noch steigern.
AL COVOLO: WEINSTUBE UND RESTAURANT
Im Jahr 1547 arbeitete die Familie noch in der Mühle, aber die Nachfahren
haben davon nur noch den Namen bewahren können. Die Molinarolis arbeiteten dann in den Marmorbrüchen, aber seit 1996 betreiben sie das Restaurant
„Al Covolo“ in Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella.
Da Ottavio auch begeisterter Bergsteiger ist, versuchte er die Leidenschaft zu
den lessinischen Bergen mit der zur Gastronomie zu verbinden und eröffnete
auch eine Hütte des italienischen Alpenvereins (CAI) auf dem Monte Baldo.
Die Kinder, die aus der Ehe mit Celina geboren sind, sind auch in die
Fußstapfen der Eltern getreten. Heute leitet Andrea Molinaroli das Lokal. Zu
den verschiedenen Spezialitäten, die hier angeboten werden, kredenzt Adelino
den richtigen Wein. Er braucht nur unter den 500 Etiketten auszuwählen.
Darunter sind auch edle Tropfen aus kleinen Winzerhöfen, aber im Mittelpunkt
stehen der Amarone und der Recioto.
ALDRIGHETTI: DIE HÜTER URALTER FAMILIENTRADITIONEN
Wenn man bei einem Spaziergang durch das Valgatara-Tal auf ein Haus aus
dem 14. Jahrhundert trifft, dann wird man leicht in die Zeit der Ritter und
Edelfrauen des Mittelalters versetzt. Aber auch wenn diese Zeit so weit zurückliegt, läuft doch ein Roter Faden durch die Geschichte und führt uns bis zu der
Familie Aldrighetti, die heute schon eine mehr symbolische Funktion hat, denn
sie keltert seit Jahrhunderten Wein, aber erst seit kurzem vermarktet sie ihre
Produkte auch außerhalb der Region. Die Familie bewahrt in ihrem Archiv all
die Dokumente, die ein der Familie angehöriger Priester gesammelt hatte und
legt dadurch von der Geschichte und den Geschichten des Tals Zeugnis ab.
ALLEGRINI: EIN MÄRCHEN WIRD WAHR
Hier verschmelzen ein Land und seine Bewohner. Die Familie Allegrini ist zu
einem auch internationalen Wahrzeichen der Valpolicella geworden. Ein auf das
Jahr 1557 zurückgehendes Dokument bezeugt schon den Ankauf einiger
Brunnen in Mazzurega/Fumane. Dadurch konnte die Familie, die die meisten
Weinberge besaß, die Reben ausgezeichnet bewässern. Ganze Generationen
haben neue Techniken des Weinanbaus entwickelt. Die Kinder von Giovanni
Allegrini, die vom Vater die Leidenschaft für die Önologie geerbt haben,
bewirtschaften heute mehr als 100 Hektar Land und exportieren davon mehr
als 60 % ins Ausland. Das Unternehmen steht für Quantität und Qualität.
In der Villa Giona, eine der Sehenswürdigkeiten der Valpolicella, veranstalten
sie Kultur-Event und hier kann man ihre berühmten Weine wie den
Valpolicella, Amarone, Palazzo della Torre, den Grola, den Poja, Villa Giona
und den Giovanni Allegroni probieren.
ARDUINI: KRAFTVOLLE TRAUBEN UND EIN VOLLMUNDIGER
WEIN
Im Herzen der Valpolicella begann Gabriele Arduini in den 40er Jahren in
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Marano di Valpolicella mit seiner Arbeit in der Landwirtschaft. Seine 3 Kinder
führten den Beruf des Vaters fort und eröffneten zwei weitere Betriebe, einen in
Corrubio di San Pietro und einen weiteren in Pastrengo-Campara. Besonders
Battista Arduini baute seinen Winzerbetrieb stark aus und machte ihn zu
dem, was er heute ist: eine der wichtigsten Weinkellereien des ValpolicellaTals.
Sie befindet sich in der Villa Banda Amistà mit Brunnen und den Zypressen
davor.
Hier wachsen die heimischen Rebsorten Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella,
Molinara und Garganega, die zu den typischen Weinen gekeltert werden:
Valpolicella Classico und Superiore, Amarone, Recioto, daneben auch Garda
Garganega und Passito Bianco “Belvedere”. Dieses Winzergut bürgt seit über
10 Jahren für Fachkenntnis und Tradition.
BEGALI: KOHÄRENZ UND QUALITÄT
Im Herzen der Valpolicella an den Hängen von Castelrotto liegt das kleine
Winzergut der Familie Begali. In der Nachkriegszeit von Giordano Begali
gegründet, wird es jetzt von seinem Sohn Lorenzo und deren Ehefrau Adriana
betrieben.
Die ersten Weine wurden 1986 verkauft, aber heute wird durch die Mitarbeit
der Kinder viel Wert auf die Qualität der heimischen Rebsorten gelegt, damit
die edlen und preisgekrönten Spitzenweine der Valpolicella entstehen können.
Besonders zu erwähnen sind aber der Amarone “Monte Ca’ Bianca”, ein CruWein, der mehrmals nacheinander den Preis des „Gambero Rosso“ verliehen
bekommen hat (3 Gläser) und den „Ais Duemilavini“(5 Trauben)“.
BOSCAINI CARLO: PANORAMABLICK AUF SANT’AMBROGIO
Als Pächter hat Carlo Boscaini angefangen, aber 1948 konnte er dann ein
eigenes Winzergut in Sant’Ambrogio di Valpoicella erwerben. Zusammen mit
den Kindern und Kindeskindern hat er es geschafft, die Weinberge und die
Weinkellerei immer weiter zu modernisieren. Dem Großvater zu Ehren hat
das Winzergut den Namen „ Carlo Boscaini“, denn er ist 102 Jahr alt geworden, vielleicht auch weil er das Motto der Familie beherzigt hat: „Guter
Wein, wenig aber rein.“
BYBLOS ART HOTEL VILLA AMISTÀ
Das 2005 eingeweihte Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà ist ein Luxushotel, das
in Corrubbio, im Herzen der Valpolicella liegt und Dino Facchini, einem
erfolgreichen Industriellen gehört, der für die Kleidermarke Swinger und
Brillen der Marke Byblos berühmt ist.
Das Hotel befindet sich in einer Villa aus dem 15. Jh., deren venezianische
Fassade von Michele Sanmicheli stammt, während das heutige Gebäude auf
die zweite Hälfte des !8. Jh. zurückgeht und vom Architekten Ignazio
Pellegrini entworfen wurde.
In ihrem Innern treffen zwei Stile aufeinander, und zwar Barock und modernes Design, die sich durch die kunstvolle Komposition seitens des bekannten
Architekten Alessandro Mendini wundersam ergänzen.
Das Hotel bietet seinen Gästen vor einer kunst-vollen und kunst-reichen
Kulisse zwei Kongresssäle, ein Restaurant mit Haute cuisine, einen großen
Gewölbekeller aus dem 15.Jh., in dem man über 300 verschiedene Weine probieren kann, einen Pool und ein von Dominique und Henry Chenot geleitetes
Wellness-Zentrum.
Zahlreiche, eigens für das Hotel entworfene Gegenstände, können von den
Gästen erworben werden und die allgegenwärtige Verbindung von moderner
Kunst mit Elementen des Barock machen aus diesem Aufenthalt ein einzigartiges Erlebnis.
CA DE LA PELA
Auf den Hügeln der Valpolicella zwischen San Giorgio Ingannapoltron und
Monte finden wir die Trattoria Ca De La Pela, ein gemütliches Speiselokal,
das Frau Mariuccia mit Professionalität und Warmherzigkeit führt.
Es gibt eine gezielte Auswahl der Weine und die Preise sind den einfachen
und natürlichen Gerichten angemessen. Die Karte ist sehr abwechslungsreich
und die Süßspeisen sind hausgemacht. Im Sommer kann man auf der großen
Ve r o n e s i
Terrasse im Freien zu Abend essen und dabei den herrlichen Blick auf den
Gardasee genießen.
CA’ LA BIONDA: EINE WINZERFAMILIE AUS LEIDENSCHAFT
1902 wurde in Marano di Valpolicella von Pietro Castellani die Weinkellerei
Ca’ La Bionda gegründet. Hier in seinem Heimatdorf Valgatara kaufte er einen
Weinberg und baute dort sein Haus, das auch heute noch den Namen Bionda
trägt.
Die Kinder- und Kindeskinder haben die Winzertradition fortgeführt und in
den 60er Jahren wurde der Betrieb ausgebaut. Eine Restaurierung und
Modernisierung hat er dann 1998 erfahren. Die Familie Castellani baut nur
heimische Weinreben an und alle Trauben reifen auf dem eigenen Land heran.
Jedes Jahr werden 70 000 Flaschen Valpolicella classico und Amarone produziert.
Die Famillie legt auch großen Wert auf Umweltfreundlichkeit. Sie verwendet
keine Schädlingsbekämpfungsmittel, denn die Traube wie auch der Mensch
haben eine empfindliche Seele.
CORTE CAMPAGNOLA: TRIUMPH DER TRADITION
Schon am Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts begann Carlo Campagnola mit seiner
Winzertätigkeit in “Gaso” in der Nähe von Marano di Valpolicella. In dem
alten Gemäuer, das sich ausgezeichnet zur Lagerung der Weine eignet, geht
Fernando Campagnola heute mit großer Leidenschaft und sicherer
Fachkompetenz seinem Beruf nach.
Alle Phasen des Produktionsvorgangs begleitet er persönlich. Deshalb entstehen
hier auf dem Winzergut auch nur Spitzenweine mit abgerundetem Aroma.
Mitten in diesem faszinierenden Ambiente kann man auch den wunderbaren
Wein probieren..
COTTINI MARCO : EIN WINZERGUT GEPFLEGT WIE EINE
PUPPENSTUBE
Farbige Vorhänge, hinter denen französische Fässer stehen, verschaffen den
Eindruck, als wäre man hier in der guten Stube eines modernes Landhauses.
Marco Cottini und seine Frau sind wunderbare Gastgeber. Schon fast ein
Jahrhundert schenkt diese Familie den Reben und dem Rebsaft ihre ganze
Aufmerksamkeit und bewirtschaftet ihre Weinberge in Fumane, die zu den
wertvollsten der Region gehören.
DA NICOLA: EIN BALKON MIT AUSSICHT AUF DEN GARDASEE
Hier in diesem Gasthaus auf den Hügeln von Verona wird man noch wie früher bewirtet. Das kleine Dörfchen Monte hat eine Aussicht auf den Monte
Baldo, die Bucht von Garda und auch auf das Etschtal.
Wie ein Leuchtturm steht am Eingang zum Etschtal die Befestigungsanlage
Forte Mollinary. Das Restaurant “Da Nicola“ war schon im letzten Jahrhundert
ein Dorfgasthaus und wird heute von Frau Natalia geleitet, die keine
Experimente liebt, sondern die Spezialitäten der Valpolicella erhalten will.
Vielleicht gerade deshalb haben die Gäste den Eindruck, von der Großmutter
verwöhnt worden zu sein.
DAS „VICARIATO“ DES VALPOLICELLA-TALS
Im Jahr 1311 ernennt Kaiser Heinrich VII Friedrich, den Cousin von
Cangrande della Scala, zum Grafen der Valpolicella. Die Residenz befindet sich
erst in Ponton und dann in der Burg von Marano, aber eines Komplotts angeklagt muss Friedrich nach 15 Jahren ins Exil.
In der Zeit der Scaliger-Herrschaft und dann später unter der von Venedig entsteht eine gewisse Autonomie dieser Provinz. Die Einwohner des Tals wählen
einen „Vicario“ unter den Adeligen der Region . Das brachte wirtschaftliche
Vorteile, da der Transport des Weins in die Stadt Verona z.B. zollfrei war. Auf
dem ehemaligen Stadtpalast von San Pietro in Cariano sind noch die Wappen
der „Vicari“ zu sehen, aber der Verwaltungssitz des Vicario war in der Domus
Vallis Pullicelle, die sich in der Piazza Ara della Valle befindet und auf das Jahr
1452 zurückgeht. Erst seit 1805 besteht das Vicariato nicht mehr, aber ab 1980
ist es Rathaus von San Pietro in Cariano. Hier kann man auch eine Madonna
col Bambino von Morone und einige Fresken aus dem 17. Jahrhundert, die
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Phantasie-Städte darstellen, besichtigen. Daneben die kleine Kirche mit einem
Barock-Portal. Im Innern auch einige Bilder, besonders aber die Altartafel von
Alessandro Marchesini.
DEGANI: DIE KRAFT DER TRADITION
In den 90er Jahren beginnt der Modernisierungsprozess auf dem Winzerhof der
Familie Degani, die hier seit Generationen ansässig ist. Ihre Weinberge befinden sich im Fumane- und im Valgatara-Tal in Hanglage. Hier ist noch alte
Handwerkstradition lebendig: von den von Hand gelesenen Trauben bis zum
Keltern des Weins. Auch das Trocknen der Trauben zur Erstellung des
Amaronne und des Recioto erfolgt noch ohne Trockenanlagen. Das Ergebnis ist
ein Spitzenwein aus Tradition.
DIE VILLA PULLE’-MONGA-GALTAROSSA
Nach dem Hahn auf dem Wappen, der auch ein französisches Adelssymbol ist,
kann man schließen, dass die Familie Pullè belgischer oder französischer
Herkunft war. Pietro Monga, ein Verwandter von dem berühmten Archäologen
Andrea Monga, der die Ausgrabungen des Teatro Romano ab 1830 in Verona
veranlasst hatte, erwarb die Villa 1830. Der neue Besitzer stellte hier zahlreiche antike Fundstücke aus. Giacomo Galtarossa kaufte die Villa dann 1929-30
und ließ die ganze Anlage restaurieren. Der derzeitige Besitzer ist sein Enkel.
Hier kann man ein Fresko der Jungfrau Maria von 1519 und im Innern der
Villa Landschaftsbilder mit der Darstellung des Gardasees und der
Moränenhügel von Andrea Porta besichtigen. Wunderbar auch der Brunnen
aus dem Jahr 1516 und der herrliche Park mit altem Baumbestand.
DIE WEINSTUBE „ENOTECA DELLA VALPOLICELLA: EDLE
WEINE UND FEINE SPEISEN
Diese Enoteca, die nur dem Wein gewidmet sein sollte, ist schließlich zu einem
Speiselokal geworden, das hausgemachte Spezialitäten aus der Region auf den
Tisch bringt, aber der Wein als Kommunikationsmittel steht weiterhin im
Vordergrund. Ada und Carlotta, die zwei Wirtinnen sind fest davon überzeugt,
dass der Amarone die Zunge löst und das Herz öffnet. Mitten im Dorf Fumane
kaufen sie eine Scheune, die sie zu einer Enoteca umbauen. Adas Mann
Roberto, Somelier und erfahrener Weinexperte, trägt mit seinen Kenntnissen
noch zum Gelingen bei. Wein und Speisen gehen hier eine geheimnisvolle
Verbindung ein, dabei dürfen die hausgemachten frischen Nudeln nicht fehlen.
Themenabende mit berühmten Künstlern finden auch manchmal statt.
FORNASER: WIE DER SELTENE HEIMISCHE PELARA
GEKELTERT WIRD.
Der Winzerbetrieb Monte Faustino der Brüder Fornaser wurde 1969 gegründet.
Die nur sieben Hektar Land produzieren zwar nur 35 000 Flaschen jährlich,
sind aber so außerordentliche Weine, dass die Menge keine Rolle spielt. Der
Keller und die anderen Räume liegen in dem historischen Gebäude aus dem 18.
Jahrhundert, aber die Weinberge erstrecken sich auf den Hügeln von Bure und
Traversagna di Sant’Ambrogio. Hier gedeihen die heimischen Rebsorten besonders gut, aber hier wächst auch der seltene Pelara, der eine Traube mit nur
wenigen Beeren aufweist. Nur wenige Winzer produzieren diesen Wein, der ein
wenig pfeffrig und bitter schmeckt. Er passt gut zu Fisch.
CORTE CAMPAGNOLA: TRIUMPH DER TRADITION
Schon am Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts begann Carlo Campagnola mit seiner
Winzertätigkeit in “Gaso” in der Nähe von Marano di Valpolicella. In dem
alten Gemäuer, das sich ausgezeichnet zur Lagerung der Weine eignet, geht
Fernando Campagnola heute mit großer Leidenschaft und sicherer
Fachkompetenz seinem Beruf nach. Alle Phasen des Produktionsvorgangs
begleitet er persönlich. Deshalb entstehen hier auf dem Winzergut auch nur
Spitzenweine mit abgerundetem Aroma. Mitten in diesem faszinierenden
Ambiente kann man auch den wunderbaren Wein probieren.
Neben dem alten Weinkeller und dem neuen Barriqueskeller findet man ein
hochmodernes Chemielabor, dass dafür sorgt, dass der Trockenvorgang der
Beeren immer unter Kontrolle steht und so ein ausgezeichnetes Produkt garantiert werden kann.
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GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI: EIN MYTHOS!
Zwischen Wirklichkeit und Legende bewegen sich die Erzählungen um die
Gründung des Winzerguts Giuseppe Quintarelli. Schon am Anfang des letzten
Jahrhunderts hatte Silvio noch als Pächter das Land in Figari bei Marano di
Valpolicella bewirtschaftet, aber seine Weine waren so ausgezeichnet, dass sie
schon damals exportiert wurden. Schließlich konnte Silvio 1929 ein Stück Land
in Cerè erwerben. Heute hat das Erfolgsunternehmen an seiner Spitze den Sohn
von Silvio. In den 80er Jahren beginnt dann wieder eine neue Phase: Jetzt werden nur die Trauben der besten Weinjahre zu Wein verarbeitet. Das Ergebnis
sind natürlich auserlesene Spitzenweine, zu denen besonders der Amarone
Quintarelli gehört.
Dieses Unternehmen ist ein Vorbild für alle, denn es beugt sich nicht den
Regeln des Marktes, sondern bleibt der handwerklichen Philosophie verpflichtet.
GROTO DE CORGNAN : VIELE GRÜßE VOM HIMALAJA
Giorgio Soave geht es vor allem um Lebensqualität. Morgens schon zieht er los
und sucht vielleicht in den Wäldern Pilze, holt von seinem Freund und
Almbauern frische Butter, schneidet Brennnessel oder erntet in seinem Garten
frisches Gemüse. Alles was Rang und Namen hat, tafelt bei ihm, auch Messner
schau ab und zu vorbei, denn die beiden verbindet die Liebe zu den Bergen.
Giorgio Soave ist nämlich auch schon oft auf dem Himalaja gewesen. Seine
Kochkunst entsteht aus einer Lebensphilosophie, die er in 6000 m Höhe erworben hat und seine Seele kehrt jedes Mal mit reichen Gaben an den heimischen
Herd zurück.
100 000 JAHRE GESCHICHTE IN DER HÖHLE VON FUMANE
Im Laufe der Zeit ist die Höhle von Fumane mit 10 m Schutt, Abfall, Geröll
und Dingen gefüllt worden, die vielleicht die Jäger der Vorzeit liegen gelassen
hatten. Die Ausgrabungen, die 1988 angefangen haben, erlauben einen Blick in
die Geschichte. Die Entwicklung der Lessinia wurden durch das Etschtal stark
beeinflusst, das in der Eiszeit bis Chiusa di Ceraino mit Eis bedeckt war.
Die Jäger, von denen wir in der Höhle Spuren finden, waren nicht sesshaft und
durchwanderten ein sehr großes Gebiet, aber 6 Monate hielten sie sich hier in
der Höhle auf. Von hier aus konnten sie in einem Tag alle Teile der WestLessinia erreichen und die begehrtesten Tiere jagen: Steinböcke, Bisons,
Gämsen und viele andere Tiere.
Im unteren Teil der Höhle weisen die Spuren auf die Präsenz des NeandertalMenschen hin, der obere Teil dagegen erlaubt es uns, die
Bevölkerungsentwicklung Europas zu studieren. Der moderne Mensch tritt an
die Stelle der Neandertaler und geht in der Lessinia auf die Jagd. Er baut gut
durchorganisierte Wohnanlagen, stellt Werkzeuge und Waffen aus Feuerstein
und Schmuck aus Knochen und Muscheln her.
Die letzte menschliche Präsenz in der Höhle ist vor 25 000 Jahren nachzuweisen.
LE RAGOSE: DER KOSTBARE NEKTAR AUS DEM FELSGESTEIN
VON ARBIZZANO
Ein wüstes Land waren damals die Hügel von Arbizzano in der Valpolicella bis
Arnaldo Galli den Hof mit dem Namen „Le Raguse“ 1969 erwarb, um ihn in
einen Weinberg zu verwandeln. Aber erst nachdem er seine Frau Marta gefunden hatte, beginnen beide den Weinanbau zu studieren. Zuerst übernahm
Arnaldo die Leitung der Cantina Sociale di Monteforte d’Alpone, der
Genossenschaftsweinkellerei, aber dann begann er 1969 die ersten Reben auf
das öde Land der „Raguse“ zu pflanzen. Die Urbarmachung war nicht leicht,
aber schon nach 10 Jahren ist dieses Familienunternehmen zu den bedeutendsten Weinproduzenten Italiens und der Welt aufgestiegen. Zahllose Preise
haben sie bekommen. Arnaldo ist auch immer schon ein Kunstkenner gewesen
und hat viele Kunstwerke erworben. Seiner Frau, Marta Galli, ist der vielleicht
edelste Wein gewidmet, denn ihr Engagement ist ein kostbarer Schatz besonders für ihre Kinder.
LE SALETTE: UNTER DEM SCHUTZ DER JUNGFRAU MARIA
Auf den Hügeln von Fumane erzählt man sich die Geschichte, dass die Bauern
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aus Dankbarkeit für die wunderbare Befreiung von der Reblaus der Weinreben
1860 die kleine Wallfahrtskirche „Le Salette“ errichtet hatten. Hier im Schutz
der Madonna bewirtschaftet die Familie Scamperle ihr gleichnamiges Winzergut
seit Generationen, aber in den 80er Jahren haben Franco und seine Frau
Monica Scamperle die Modernisierung eingeläutet. Es entstehen die Edelweine
mit der genauen Lagebezeichnung: der Valpolicella Superiore “Ca’ Carnocchio”,
der Amarone “La Marea”, der Recioto “Le Traversagne”, der Valpolicella
Superiore “I Progni”. Bis in die USA werden die Weine von Scamparle exportiert.
MASI: EIN WEINGUT EROBERT DIE MÄRKTE DER GANZEN
WELT
Schon seit sechs Generationen bewirtschaftet die Familie Boscaini die
Weinberge der Valpolicella. Heute befindet sich das Unternehmen in
Gargagnago di Valpolicella unter der Leitung von Sandro und seinen Söhnen
Alessandro und Raffaele. Bruno und Mario Boscaini sind mehr für den
Technologiebereich zuständig. Durch allmählichen Zukauf von Land im Gebiet
des Valpolicella, Bardolino und Soave Classico konnte der Betrieb seine
Qualität steigern.
In den letzten 10 Jahren wurden Weinberge auch im ganzen Triveneto erworben und man plant auch in der Toskana und im Ausland Land zu kaufen. In
der Valpolicella arbeitet Masi eng mit dem historischen Weingut Serego
Alighieri zusammen.
Mit dem Grafen Pier Alvise Serego Alighieri hat die Familie Masi auch ein
Landgut in der Val d’Orcia erworben, wodurch die Nachfahren von Dante
Alighieri wieder in die Toskana zurück gehen. Der Sohn des Dichters der
Göttlichen Komödie hatte die wunderbare Villa inmitten der Weinberge von
Gargagnago vor vielen Jahrhunderten zum ersten Mal erworben.Masi ist ein
Gigant in der Weinproduktion und exportiert Qualitätsweine in mehr als 60
Länder der Erde.
Auch ein Preis für großartige Leistungen in Wirtschaft, Kunst und Wissenschaft
wird jedes Jahr vergeben.
DER WINZERHOF MAZZI: DAS GUTE UND DAS SCHÖNE
In einem mittelalterlichen Landgut mit einer Wassermühle aus dem 16.
Jahrhundert befindet sich in San Peretto di Negrar der Winzerhof Mazzi. Das
gut erhaltene Gebäude gehört zu den Heimatmuseen und legt Zeugnis von der
Mühlentradition ab.
Die Mutter von Roberto, Gesuina Dall’Ora (1899-1982) leitet heute zusammen
mit ihren Kindern das Unternehmen. In dem Keller aus dem 18. Jahrhundert
lagern die auserlesenen Weine der heimischen Rebsorten.
Ihr Sohn Roberto hat in den 60er Jahren angefangen, Flaschen mit dem Etikett
„Sanperetto“ auf den Markt zu bringen. 1990 ist dann auch eine Ferienresidenz
mit dem Namen „Antica Corte al Molino„ entstanden, wo man die auserlesenen Produkte dieser altehrwüdigen Familie probieren kann.
MERONI: DER SÜßE WEIN DER DICHTUNG
In der Nähe von Sant’Ambrogio im Valpolicella-Tal befindet sich das alte
Weingut der Familie Meroni in der Ortschaft Grola, direkt umgeben von den
Weinbergen, auf denen die Recioto- und Amarone-Trauben heranreifen.
Hier werden nur Spitzenweine gekeltert und aus Leidenschaft zu dem eigenen
Land und dem eigenen Beruf sind die zwei unnachahmlichen Weinkollektionen
entstanden: Sengia und Velluto.
Beide tragen auf dem Etikett Verse von dem Lokaldichter Berto Barbarani, der
mit der Familie Meroni sehr befreundet war.
Mitten im Krieg hatte er einen Amarone bekommen und in dem Vers besingt
er den samtigen Geschmack des Weins. Daher der Name „Velluto“ (Samt).
NICOLIS: EDLER WEIN UND EINE GROßE FAMILIE
Im Jahr 1951 beginnt Angelo Nicolis seinen kleinen Winzerhof auszubauen,
auch weil seine Frau Natalia und die Kinder, die inzwischen Landwirtschaft
und Weinanbau studiert hatten, den Betrieb mittragen.
Heute verfügt der Hof über 90 Hektar Land in San Pietro in Cariano und ist
eines der führenden Winzerbetriebe zur Herstellung des Valpolicella, Amarone
Ve r o n e s i
und Recioto. Preisgekrönt sind Nicolis’ Weine, aber auch die inzwischen 70
köpfige Familie selbst hat sich weiter entwickelt. Die Leidenschaft zu ihrem
Beruf, die sie von Angelo Nicolis übernommen haben, verbindet sie immer
noch.
PALAZZO MONTANARI
Der schöne Palazzo Montanari aus dem 14.Jh. liegt auf dem Hügelkamm östlich
von Fumane. Er ist zum einen befestigtes Turmgebäude und zum anderen luxuriöser Landsitz im Stil des 17. Jh. Das Turmgebäude stammt aus der
Scaligerzeit und diente als Wachturm zur Verteidigung der Stadt Verona. Im 15.
Jahrhundert wurde ein Bauernhof daraus, der in den drei folgenden
Jahrhunderten zu einer Villa im Besitz der Adelsfamilie Montanari ausgebaut
wurde.
Im Inneren sind noch zahlreiche Fresken erhalten und die Familie Nicolis, die
heutigen Eigentümer, sind im Begriff, die Villa restaurieren zu lassen, in der sie
vorläufig erlesene Weine und ein sehr gutes Olivenöl produzieren.
LAND - UND WEINGUT PULE-GALTAROSSA: EIN NAME DER
GESCHICHTE GEMACHT HAT.
In San Pietro in Cariano, im Herzen der Valpolicella, liegt das Wein- und
Landgut Pule mit seiner Villa Galtarossa aus dem 16. Jahrhundert. Die Familie,
die auch über wichtige Industriebetriebe verfügt, lebt hier seit Generationen.
Giacomo Galtarossa aber hat das 160 Hektar weite Land mit Weinreben,
Oliven und Kirschbäumen bebaut und keltert hier die edlen Trauben des
Valpolicella des Amarone und des Pellagra Tenuta Pule.
Der Weinkeller kann besichtigt werden und hier finden auch Weinproben statt.
Auch andere Produkte werden hier verkauft und so manch einer wird in diesem
Landhaus seine Ferien verbringen. Wenn die Familie auch hauptsächlich in der
Stahlbranche tätig ist, ist sie doch sehr stolz auf die Produktion ihrer edlen
Weine.
RECCHIA: HIER STIMMEN PREIS UND QUALITÄT
Man schrieb das Jahr 1906 als Giovanni Recchia das Landstück in Jago, auf den
Hügeln von Negrar, erwarb. Dort errichtete er sein Wohnhaus und begann aus
den schon bestehenden Reben und ihren Trauben seinen Wein zu keltern. Der
Sohn Enrico baute den Betrieb weiter aus und die Enkel Riccardo und Roberto,
die das Winzergut in den 70er Jahren übernommen hatten, produzierten sehr
bald aus den 6 Hektar einen guten Wein. Später dann kauften sie Land in der
Valpolicella und auch an den Hügeln des Gardasees hinzu. In Jago werden jetzt
die typischen Valpolicella-Weine produziert und auch wertvolles Olivenöl. Am
Gardasee hingegen werden mehr junge Weine hergestellt, wie z. B. der
Bardolino Classico, der Custoza und der Chardonney.
1995 wurde der Weinkeller erweitert und modernisiert. Hier entsteht ein traditionelles und gleichzeitig modernes Produkt, bei dem Preis und Qualität stimmen und das auch ins Ausland exportiert wird.
RESTAURANT DALLA ROSA ALDA
In dem malerischen kleinen Ort San Giorgio di Valpolicella liegt das berühmte
Restaurant Dalla Rosa Alda. Es befindet sich in einem Gebäude aus dem Jahr
1650, in dem auch eine Enoteca und ein Hotel eingerichtet wurden. Seit 1853
gehört das Lokal der Familie Dalla Rosa, heute heißen die Inhaber Alda und
Lodovico und teilen sich die Arbeit im Restaurant und in der Enoteca, in der
man die besten Weine aus der Valpolicella probieren und kaufen kann. Alda ist
als kreative Köchin unter anderem für ihre Pissotta bekannt, ein zu einem Glas
Recioto servierter Kuchen, der von den meisten Gourmetzeitschriften fotografiert wurde. Im Hotel stehen den Gästen 10 Zimmer zur Verfügung, sodass sie
sich auch die Zeit nehmen können, den wunderschönen alten Ort San Giorgio
zu besichtigen.
SAN GIORGIO DI VALPOLICELLA
Der wegen seiner versteckten Lage in den Hügeln im westlichen Valpolicella
intakt gebliebene Ort San Giorgio ist ein architektonisches Kleinod mit einer
tausendjährigen Geschichte. Spuren davon finden sich vor allem in der wunderschönen romanischen Pfarrkirche, die in ihrem Inneren eine langobardische
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Inschrift birgt, die einzige im Gebiet Veronas. Eine Gelegenheit, den gepflegten
Ort mit seinen Häusern in Naturstein zu besichtigten, ist die Festa delle Fae,
ein heidnischer Ritus zu Ehren der Toten, der am 2. Sonntag im November
erneut ins Leben gerufen wird.
Der Besuch in San Giorgio lohnt sich aber auch wegen seines herrlichen
Ausblicks (nach Osten bis Verona, im Süden sieht man die Poebene bis zum
Apennin, im Westen den Gardasee und im Norden die Gipfel des Monte
Baldo) und seiner Gastronomie. Die typischen Weine und Gerichte der
Valpolicella können in der Trattoria al Borgo dell´Arusnate, in der Osteria della
Pieve, der Trattoria Dalla Rosa Alda oder in der Trattoria Ca De La Pela genossen werden.
SARTORI: DER INBEGRIFF DER GESCHICHTE DES
VALPOLICELLA-TALS
1898 erwirbt Pietro Sartori von den Grafen Murari Brà die Villa Maria aus
dem 17. Jahrhundert. Schon bald sind die Weine der Sartoris aus Negrar sehr
beliebt und der Sohn Regolo erweitert den Weinanbau. Die Enkel schließlich
machen den Weg frei für den großen Erfolg in der ganzen Welt. Heute ist schon
die 4. Generation in dem Winzerhof tätig. Der unterirdische Weinkeller wurde
2000 erneuert und eine moderne Abfüllanlage angeschafft. 2001 wurde ein
Vertrag mit der Genossenschaftskellerei von Colognola ai Colli abgeschlossen,
der dem Betrieb großen Aufschwung gegeben hat. Heute exportiert Sartori 75
% seiner Weine ins Ausland. In der Villa finden Kulturveranstaltungen statt
und die Weinkellerei wird jedes Jahr von vielen Menschen besucht.
TOMMASI: WINZER UND VILLEN
Entlang der Bundesstraße von Verona nach Trient liegt die Villa Quaranta , die
zu einer umfangreichen Anlage gehört, mit Kirche, Poststation, Gasthaus und
Weinstube. Hier haben immer schon die Reisende, Rast gemacht und auch
heute noch kann man hier in einem edlen und luxuriösen Hotel ausruhen. Die
Villa ist Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts entstanden und weist eine schöne Loggia
mit drei Bögen auf. Nach hinten geht sie auf einen Hof, der zu einer Sakristei
führt und zu den Stallgebäuden.
Im Innern der große nach Zar Alexander genannte Saal. Eine wunderbare
Marmortreppe führt in die zweite Etage, wo sich der Saal der Künste mit seinen
Decken-Fresken befindet.
Die mittelalterliche Villa Buri Avanzi dagegen liegt abseits der wichtigen
Verkehrswege am Eingang zum Fumane-Tal und ist ein Weingut. Fast überall
auf den Gemäuern kann man Fresken aus dem 13. und 14. Jahrhundert bewundern. Hier werden der Amarone und der Valpolicella Classico Superiore der
Familie Tommasi gekeltert und gelagert.
TOMMASO BUSSOLA: GEDULD IST ALLES.
Die Geschichte beginnt in dem schönen Valpolicella-Tal, als Tommaso Bussola
1977 den kleinen Winzerbetrieb seines Onkels übernimmt und sich mit viel
Leidenschaft dem traditionellen Weinanbau widmet.
Erst 1983 nimmt er eine neue Hausforderung an: Seine Trauben sollen zu
einem Spitzenwein verarbeitet werden. Mit eigener Hand wählt er die süßesten
Trauben zur Kelterung des Amarone und des Recioto aus. 1992 dann der Bau
des neuen Weinkellers und die ersten Barriques-Fässer. Zu den bg-Weinen kommen jetzt die neuen tb-Weine. Seit 1995 kann das Winzergut durch die
Mitarbeit seiner Frau Daniela seine Produktion weiter ausbauen und von den
anfänglichen 1000 Flaschen pro Jahr jetzt mehr als 100 000 auf den Markt
bringen, aber die Steigerung der Quantität ist nie zu ungunsten der Qualität
ausgefallen.
VALENTINA CUBI : TÜCHTIGE UNTERNEHMERIN UND ENGAGIERTE “DONNA DEL VINO“
Nur über 13 Hektar Land verfügt Valentina Cubi, aber es hat die richtige Lage
zwischen Fumane und San Pietro in Cariano, also genau im Gebiet des
Valpolicella Classico. 1970 als sie das Land erwarb, wusste sie schon, dass ihr
Augenmerk auf der Qualität liegen würde. Sie verbesserte den Anbau der
Reben so sehr, dass sie heute das Ergebnis sehen kann. Besonders die beiden
Weinberge Monte Tenda und Monte Crosetta oben auf dem Hügel haben eine
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so hervorragende klimatische Lage, dass die Reben hier nur vollmundige
Trauben heranreifen lassen, die zu herrlichen Weinen gekeltert werden. Hier
nur einige der ausgefallenen Namen der Weine von Valentina Cubi: Iberico,
Tabarro, Arusnatico. Auch das kalt gepresste Olivenöl der Sorte Verbasco ist
wirklich ausgezeichnet.
dem 18. Jahrhundert, daneben eine kleine Kapelle und Wirtschaftsgebäude. Die
Kirche wurde 1753 von Giampaolo Rovereti erbaut. Vor dem Anwesen eine
wunderbar gepflegte Gartenanlage. Sehenswert die Fenster und das Portal der
Fassade. Diese Sommerresidenz gehört der Familie Rizzardi seit dem 19.
Jahrhundert.
VILLA BETTELONI
Diese Villa, die auch Villa dei Poeti, d.h. der Dichter, genannt wird, liegt in
Castelrotto, einem der ältesten und historisch bedeutendsten Orte der
Valpolicella. Bereits ihr erster Besitzer, ein berühmter Humanist des 15. Jh., empfing dort Dichter und Gelehrte, und auch die späteren Eigentümer, -Domenico
Betteloni erwarb die Villa 1665- waren große Literatur-Liebhaber, wenn nicht
sogar selbst Dichter wie Cesare und Vittorio Betteloni. Viele berühmte Autoren
der klassischen italienischen. Literatur gingen in diesem Haus aus und ein, und
noch heute gehört die Villa dei Poeti einem Nachfahren der glücklichen DichterDynastie. Vittorio Betteloni schreibt jedoch nicht, er baut Wein an, mit einer
ähnlichen Leidenschaft wie seine Vorfahren dichteten. Und zur Ehre seines
geliebten Großvaters lässt er die Etiketten seines Amarone, Valpolicella und
Recioto, mit dessen bedeutendsten Gedichten bedrucken. Ein Besuch der Villa
lohnt sich allerdings allein schon wegen ihrer seltenen Schönheit, ihrer kunstgeschichtlichen Bedeutung, die auch in dem gepflegten, von Guglielmo Guglielmi
angelegten Italienischen Garten zum Ausdruck kommt.
IM HERZEN VON FUMANE: DIE VILLA SELLE
Erst im Jahr 1968 erwirbt die Familie Jenna die Villa und die ganze dazu gehörende Anlage. Die Architekten Bonagiunti, die die Restaurierungsarbeit übernehmen, entscheiden sich zu einer Radikalkur: Nur die antiken Gebäudeteile
sollen erhalten bleiben. Die aus dem 15. Jahrhundert und die aus dem 18.
Jahrhundert stammenden Teile bilden zwei unterschiedliche Flügel, wobei der
letztere von einer Loggia mit 12 Renaissance-Säulen geschmückt wird. Heute
wäre eine so eigenwillige Restaurierung nicht mehr denkbar.
Im Augenblick erfolgt ein weiterer Umbau, um diese wunderbare Villa in ein
Hotel der Kette „Antica dimora“ zu verwandeln.
VILLA GESI: HIER WERDEN DIE GÄSTE VERWÖHNT
Villa Gesi ist ein hübsches Bed and Breakfast im Grünen bei Negrar.
Ursprünglich war das Gebäude ein Bauernhof, dessen Reiz die Besitzerin Patrizia
Gesino bei der Renovierung mit Erfolg zu erhalten versucht hat. Jedes Zimmer
ist mit restaurierten Möbeln aus dem 19.Jh.eingerichtet und mit modernem
Komfort ausgestattet. Aber die Stärke des Hauses ist zweifellos die Küche. Beim
Aperitif haben die Gäste die Möglichkeit, die exzellenten Weine der Valpolicella
kennen zulernen und bei den Vor- und Hauptspeisen die Spezialitäten der
Gegend zu probieren. Die persönliche Atmosphäre erleichtert es den Gästen verschiedenster Herkunft sich zu entspannen und Freundschaft zu schließen.
VILLA MONTELEONE: EIN AMERIKANISCHER TRAUM
Das Weingut Monteleone in Gargagnago im Valpolicella-Tal ist der Traum, der
sich verwirklicht hat. Die südamerikanische Lucia Duran Raimondi und ihr
Ehemann italienischer Abstammung, ein in den USA geborener berühmter
Neurochirurg, sind beide im Bereich der Medizin engagiert, aber 1987 beschließen beide, als sie in Pension gehen, ihren „Italienischen Traum“ zu verwirklichen, denn als „Tony“ im Krieg als Soldat in La Rochelle im Bordeaux-Gebiet
stationiert war, ist seine Begeisterung für den Weinanbau entstanden.
1988 erwirbt das Ehepaar das Weingut Monteleone aus dem 18. Jahrhundert mit
seinem jahrhundertealten Park. Drei Jahre später konnten sie ihren ersten Wein
keltern. Ihr Motto war es, immer nur Spitzenweine nach alter Tradition herzustellen. Nach dem Tod von ihren geliebten „Tony“ leitet Frau Lucia Raimondi
nun das Winzergut selbst.
TRADITIONEN IN DEN TÄLERN UM VERONA
Wenn wir von den Gebräuchen in den Tälern um Verona sprechen wollen,
dann müssen wir vor allem an den Zyklus des menschlichen Lebens und der
Natur denken, denn die Feste und Riten waren wie in jeder Bauernkultur an
die wichtigen Etappen menschlichen Lebens gebunden. Dazu gehörten Geburt,
Taufe, Firmung, Verlobung, Hochzeit und Beerdigung einerseits, der Rhythmus
der Natur auf der anderen Seite. Und die christlichen Feste wiederum fallen
häufig mit den heidnischen Gebräuchen zusammen, die wiederum an die für
die Feldarbeit ausschlaggebenden Jahreszeiten gebunden sind. Das Jahr beginnt
für die Landwirtschaft zu San Martino am 11. November mit der Erneuerung
der Pachtverträge. Im November wurde gepflügt und gesät und zu Santa
Caterina am 25. November beteiligten sich alle an der Reinigung der Mühlen
und beendeten die Arbeit mit einem großen Abendessen. Santa Lucia am 13.
Dezember war (und ist noch heute) für viele der Tag, an dem die Kinder
beschenkt wurden.
Zu Weihnachten wurde in jeder Familie ein Krippchen aufgestellt und Gruppen
von Kindern sangen Weihnachtslieder in den Höfen und Dörfern. Auch der
Brauch des Dreikoenigsfeuers am 6. Januar ist noch sehr lebendig, das früher
dazu diente, die Felder von Gestrüpp und Dornenhecken zu befreien. Im
Winter wurden die Mauern und Zäune repariert und das Schwein geschlachtet.
Das Warten auf den Frühling begann zu San Paolo am 25. Januar mit der
„Vorhersage“: 12 halbe gesalzene Zwiebeln wurden vor das Fenster gelegt und
am nächsten Tag las man daran die voraussichtliche Regenmenge im soeben
begonnenen Jahrs ab. Gnocchi und Frittelle (in Fett gebackene Süßspeisen!)
gab es am Ende des Karnevals, vor Beginn der Fastenzeit, an deren Ende mit
verschiedenen Riten und Gebräuchen der Frühlingsanfang begangen wurde.
Damit begann der Zyklus des Lebens und der Natur aufs Neue, mit uralten
Traditionen, die wir zum Teil erst wieder entdecken müssen.
VILLA QUAR UND RESTAURANT ARQUADE
In den letzten 20 Jahren ist diese Villa von seinen Eigentümern zu einem sehr
eleganten Hotel umgebaut und mit wertvollen antiken Möbeln eingerichtet worden, um die Gäste den Prunk vergangener aber glorioser Zeiten erleben zu lassen. Offensichtlich eine richtige Wahl, denn heute ist Villa Quar eines der besten
Hotels Italiens, das der italienische Restaurantführer Gambero Rosso 9 Jahre
lang mit jeweils drei goldenen Schlüsseln ausgezeichnet hat.
Zu diesem Erfolg hat sicherlich auch das Restaurant Arquade beigetragen, das
von dem bekannten Küchenchef Bruno Barbieri geführt wird. Außer den beiden,
mit echten Stilmöbeln ausgestatteten Sälen ist auch das Restaurant im Freien
wunderschön, wo man im Sommer mit Blick auf den Garten und die umliegenden Hügel köstlich speisen kann.
WEINGUT „ I SCRIANI“
Das im Tal von Fumane gelegene Weingut wird heute von Paolo und Stefano
Cottini geleitet, die die Leidenschaft des Winzerberufs gemeinsam mit dem Gut
von ihrem Vater geerbt haben.
Die Wahl eines Namens, der sich auf die lokale Geschichte bezieht, ist bereits
ein Hinweis auf die Philosophie, die hinter der Vorstellung vom Weinbau der
jungen Brüder steht, und zwar Anknüpfen an die reiche Tradition des Tals und
Innovation. Die Antwort ließ nicht lange auf sich warten: 2004 bekamen sie
beim Wettbewerb „Palio del Recioto“ den ersten Preis. Sie produzieren
Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella Superiore „Ripasso“, der 18 Monate im Fass
ausreift, und Amarone Doc Classico. Außerdem gibt es einen roten Recioto
namens „Maddalena”, der nach 18 Monaten im Eichenfass weitere sechs
Monate in der Flasche reift und einen Rotwein IGT aus der Rebsorte Corvina
mit Namen Carpané.
VILLA ROVERETI : DAS SOMMERHAUS DER GRAFEN RIZZARDI
IN DER VALPOLICELLA.
Auf einem Hügel oberhalb von Negrar erhebt sich der elegante Adelspalast aus
WEINKELLEREI MONTE DEI RAGNI
Der schon im 19.Jh. in Dokumenten nachgewiesene Name Monte dei Ragni
bezeugt die mehr als 100 jährige Präsenz der Familie Ragno auf ihrem in
Ve r o n e s i
Marega, einem Ortsteil von Fumane gelegenen Weingut. Im Lauf der
Jahrzehnte haben sie sich immer weiter im Weinbau spezialisiert, da die besonders sanften, von morgens bis abends sonnenbeschienenen Hügel geradezu ideal
sind für eine besonders hohe Qualität des Produkts.
Mit Hilfe von Fabio Bigolin und Umberto Menini, beides Önologen, die ihrem
Beruf mit Leidenschaft nachgehen, haben die Ragnos 5000 Jungpflanzen hochwertiger einheimischer Rebsorten pro Hektar angepflanzt. Gemeinsam mit
Zeno Zignoli verfolgen sie alle einzelnen Phasen der Weiterverarbeitung der
Trauben mit einer Liebe zu ihrer Tradition und ihrer Arbeit, dass das Resultat
nur ein hinsichtlich der Qualität außergewöhnlicher Wein sein kann.
WINZERBETRIEB ANTOLINI
Beim Besuch der Brüder Pier Paolo und Stefano Antolini, Winzer in Marano di
Valpolicella wird man durch ihren Enthusiasmus angesteckt, wie er typisch ist
für junge Leute, die an das glauben, was sie tun.
Das Tal, in dem ihr Betrieb liegt, ist eines der am wenigsten durch exzessives
Bauen zerstörten Gebiete der Valpolicella. Ihre Weinberge liegen zwischen 250
und 300 m über dem Meeresspiegel auf überwiegend lehmigen Böden. Ein
Großteil der Rebstöcke wurde auf von den traditionellen Steinmauern gestützten Terrassen gepflanzt, die die Brüder Antolini zuvor wiederhergestellt hatten,
indem sie die Trockenmauern restaurierten.
Derselbe Respekt vor der Tradition liegt auch der Verarbeitung der Trauben
zugrunde, weshalb der Schutz der Umwelt bei ihrem Weinbau eine große Rolle
spielt.
WINZERBETRIEB BONAZZI
Der Betrieb der Brüder Bonazzi liegt auf den Hügeln in Badin bei Marano di
Valpolicella mit einem schönen Blick auf grüne Weinberge. Ihr berühmtester
Wein ist der Passito Veronese Igt, der den Namen Granduchessa trägt. Dieser
süße, blumig duftende Weißwein, eine Trockenbeerenauslese aus Garganega-,
Castelli Romani-, Pinot-, und Trebbiano-Trauben, trägt diesen Namen, weil er
der Großherzogin Anastasia Romanov, der jüngsten Tochter des letzten russischen Zars gewidmet ist. Die Legende will, dass Anastasia nicht mit ihrer ganzen Familie ermordet wurde, sondern in der Schweiz aufwuchs und Anfang der
40er Jahre zusammen mit ihren zwei Kindern und ihrem Mann, einem italienischen General, aus Mailand evakuiert wurde und sich dort zwei Jahre lang aufhielt. Um diese Geschichte nicht in Vergessenheit geraten zu lassen, gab man
diesem delikaten Wein Anastasias Adelstitel als Namen.
DER PALIO VON NEGRAR: LOKALES WEINFEST MIT INTERNATIONALEN ZÜGEN
Als 1953 der “Palio del Recioto”, das Weinfest von Negrar, das erste Mal stattfand, war das so neu, dass sogar eine nationale Tageszeitung von diesem friedlichen Wettbewerb der Weinbauern berichtete. Die Handelskammer von Verona
und die Stadtverwaltung von Negrar hatten die Veranstaltung ins Leben gerufen, die sich damals wie folgt abspielte: Eine Expertenkommission wählte aus
einer Reihe von Flaschen, deren Etikett von Papiertüten überdeckt war, den
besten Wein aus. Der Sieger bekam ein mit seinem Namen besticktes
Siegesband, das die Gemeinde bis zum folgenden Fest verwahrte. Seit diesem
ersten Mal hat der Palio Hunderte von Produzenten geehrt und gleichzeitig das
Image des Weins gepflegt. Im Lauf der Jahre ist aus dem Wettbewerb ein
abwechslungsreiches Fest geworden - mit Musik, Benefiz-Lotterien, Feuerwerk
sowie einem international bekannten Radrennen.
Seit 2006, seit das Fest von einer eigenen Kommission organisiert wird, hat sich
der Palio über die Grenzen Italiens hinaus geöffnet – ohne dabei seinen
Charakter als Volksfest zu verlieren. Seine Weine waren bei der Messe Vinitaly
dabei und auch am Flughafen von Verona gibt es einen Weinprobe-Stand; diese
Neuerungen haben zusammen mit einer Informationskampagne den Palio zu
einem der wichtigsten Momente bei der Promotion des Weins und des lokalen
Tourismus gemacht. Im Jahr 2007 arbeitet man in diesem Sinne weiter:
Weinprod uzenten aus dem Süden Frankreichs nehmen mit ihren Produkten
außer Konkurrenz am Fest teil. Eine Bereicherung und Möglichkeit, neue
Bande zu knüpfen, die für die Valpolicella mit all ihren Eigenheiten einen
neuen touristischen Kontext schafft.
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