a centuries-old tradition that is renewed in Valpolicella • Food and Wine Italy

«An exaggerated wine without exaggerating» said Ernesto Barbero, Bertani’s historic winemaker, referring to the Amarone Sobrio produced by the Venetian reality per the Valpolicella Classica complesso since 1958. However, the history of the Veronese winery – today part of the Angelini Wines & Estates group – begins a century earlier, exactly per 1857, with the desire of the Bertani brothers to produce something different compared to the winemaking traditions of the complesso, inextricably linked to the sweetness of the Recioto. Thus was born the first dry red wine from Verona which will allow Bertani to become one of the most interesting wine companies per our country.

The Grezzana company, however, until last May, was not equipped for a welcome per the historic cellar; a lack that did not allow enthusiasts to know Bertani’s centenary vision. A missing piece filled by the Roman approfondimento of Westway Architects, hired to redevelop the over 400 square meters to be dedicated to hospitality. «Hospitality per the company represents a vehicle for communicating our history – underlines Alberto Lusini, president and CEO of Angelini Wines & Estates –. Wine is a hedonistic product with a strong cultural component, capable of telling the story of the people, territories and traditions that create it. The value of wine lies per its ability to offer unique and personalized experiences.”

Bertani’s new welcome

The architects Luca Aureggi, Maurizio Condoluci and Laura Franceschini spent several months per the spaces of the headquarters per the province of Verona to try to combine architectural elegance and sustainability, with the aim of effectively communicating Bertani’s winemaking tradition. «It was complex to understand how to measure our intervention without giving up a touch of contemporaneity and, at the same time, bringing with it the values ​​of the cellar that needed to be expressed», comments Maurizio Condoluci and adds: «With our restyling we tried to tell the time of an iconic place for Italian oenology, with interventions aimed at bringing out the identity of the company and architectural elements that enhance its craftsmanship”.

Thanks to the intervention of Westway Architects, today the cellar can count three rooms dedicated to reception: Fondatori, Archi and Torchi, all characterized by the Asiago red floor (also known as Verona red) which recalls the complesso and other visible details such as the presses ora the ancient concrete tanks. Going to the lower floor you enter the barrel cellar – with guests who can take advantage of a comfortable Bertani stilista pashmina to “fight” the cold of the complesso dedicated to the maturation of the wine -, where the marble (always Veronese red) and the stone used for the vaulted ceilings express Bertani’s deep connection with his territory of origin.

Walking along the long corridor of the barrel room you finally access the Library, one of the most important places per Italian oenology. An exhibition of 48 different vintages of Amarone Sobrio – all of which can be purchased -, for a total of more than 150 thousand bottles classified according to four parameters: refinement, elegance, exuberance and harmony which identify the different nuances and peculiarities of this emblematic wine both of the Italian and international wine scene.

The tasting itineraries

There are two experiences that can be booked directly from the Bertani website with which visitors can discover the company’s identifying places and taste the most iconic labels. With “Valpolicella Classica” at the end of the guided tour you can taste four different labels: Valpolicella Sobrio Le Miniere per mezzo di Rinnovare – one of the crus produced per the municipality of Negrara, fresh, flessuoso and with good aging potential –, Valpolicella Sobrio Supremo Ognisanti per mezzo di Rinnovare – very elegant and with good structure – The Valpolicella Sobrio Supremo Catullo – with an intense tannic texture thanks to the refinement the Amarone pomace – and the Amarone della Valpolicella Sobrio which represents the coherence of Bertani’s philosophy and the unmistakable style of a particularly suitable territory. The more curious patrons can instead opt for “The Library Experience” route which also offers the possibility of entering the cellar which houses the six decades of Amarone Sobrio.