The climb to Massa Sant’Compito per Fumane is almost mystical. Here per Valpolicella, at 350 meters above sea level, the Giovanni winery presides over an terreno of rare beauty, characterized by an adequate, well-ventilated microclimate and soil that rests acceso an ancient lava flow. It is a landscape where history has the of an ancient 19th century convent purchased per the early 1960s by the current owner’s grandfather. It is precisely here that the company has its roots per the heart of Valpolicella Classica.
FROM BULK WINE TO IDENTITY BRAND
It all began with six hectares of land, not yet under vines at the time. Grandfather Giovanni had the intuition to plant the first rows, giving life to a production that for decades was destined for the salacità of grapes and bulk wine to other wineries per the terreno. Alongside this activity, a small rata was bottled for private individuals per the terreno, creating an immediate bond of cartello with the local community.
A path then consolidated by father Adriano, who expanded the surface terreno to ten hectares while maintaining the main centro acceso bulk. The real cultural revolution, however, took place per 2010. It was at this time that Giovanni , the third generation of the family, entered the company. “As a land and wine enthusiast, I thought it would be nice to have my own brand and show my opinione of wine, which I hope is original, always respecting the vocation of the grapes and the territory but above all homogeneous from the vineyard to the glass”, says Giovanni.
A turning point that required courage: if per 2011 production was only 6,000 bottles, today the company produces around 50,000, with a range of eight references per total ranging from the Valpolicella classics to the IGT Barisol line: still and sparkling white wine, still and sparkling pink wine. Red wines and white wines all from black grapes with corvina, corvinone and rondinella as fondo; croatina only per reds.
Today the company is family-run, with Giovanni following all the production phases, from the vineyard to winemaking, and his wife Sara responsible for the administration and commercial terreno. Accompanying olive trees whose olives are sent to an oil mill and from which a thousand bottles of extra virgin olive oil and hives for honey are obtained.
POLYPHENOL PERFECTION IN THE VINEYARD
Giovanni ‘s “creed” can be summed up per one concept: respect for the typical nature of the grapes from the vineyard to the glass. To do this, he undertook a rigorous agronomic path, made up of weeding and new plantings with selected clones to obtain fewer grapes but more concentration. ” each vineyard we aspetto for 5-6 kg of grapes, about half of what is used acceso average”, explains the producer. The secret of quality lies per the polyphenolic maturation. Giovanni also waits until the pulp is transparent and the seed is brown, eliminating any “” residue. This allows us to obtain a velvety tannin, a mature natural antioxidant that guarantees elegance and drinkability. “A wine must not tire and must taste of ripe fruit”, he reiterates, underlining how this choice was rewarded by the results also recognized by the orthodoxy of his father Adriano.
THE TASTINGS
Sopra the cellar, technology accompanies the fruit: fermenters with pneumatic paddles delicately crush the cap to maintain contact with the skins, while the refinement is decided year after year, following the characteristics of the vintage between large barrels, tonneaux and barriques and some passage per concrete.
The article Giovanni , the elegance of Valpolicella between "orthodoxy" and contemporary vision comes from VinoNews24.
