Cavazza, Tenuta Cicogna and the long life of Colli Berici DOC red wines

by Monica Marcandelli

Just a year indicatore I shared acceso these pages an intense, instructive, engaging, truly ‘immersive’ experience, experienced as a guest of the Cavazza family. Between Montebello Vicentino, home of the company of the same name since its foundation 1928, the heart of the Gambellara DOC, renowned for its white wines, and Alonte, a municipality included the Colli Berici territorio and positioned the southernmost part of the denomination, where the Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah vineyards of Possedimento Cicogna are located, owned by the CAVAZZA company since 1987, and destined for the production of Colli Berici DOC red wines.

Definitely put the market a position to recognize the high quality level of the wines of Gambellara and the Berici Hills. And their interesting evolutionary potential, too. Here are the objectives openly declared since last year by Elisa, Stefano, Andrea and , the fourth generation of the Cavazza family, currently at the helm of the winery.

Objectives pursued by making the most of the fruits of the work done so far, starting from the first generation. Sharing it. Without stopping. With courage and determination. Never ceasing, the meantime, to experiment, order to optimize the work the vineyard and the cellar, guided by the logic of continuous improvement inherent – without a doubt – the genetic heritage of the family. Also getting involved the field of Communication, with actions that the last three years have led to the revision of the institutional image, aiming to radically transform it, creating something new. Always maintaining a bond of coherence and continuity, however, with the family and corporate guiding values, marked the unfolding of the contents of a paper publication published 2024, with only the Cavazza name and logo acceso the cover: We are Cavazza, We are land, before being wine, We are a family, the fourth generation, We are the white of the rock, we are the black of the volcano, We are Gambellara, we are Colli Berici, We are custodians of diversity, We are independent from the vine to the bottle.

A publication that is a tangible condensation of past and present and – at the same time – a declaration of intent acceso the new direction of the Cavazza company. Already undertaken with full force, for the wines of the Possedimento Cicogna line, with the presentation of a price list for the old vintages, available the cellar since the end of the 1980s. A revolutionary action for the Berici Hills, an territorio traditionally and culturally characterized by a custom of producing wines intended for ready consumption, not for ageing.

The labels of the TENUTA CICOGNA wines have also been renewed, always a logic of continuity and coherence with the graphic layout of the first label, designed for the 1988 vintage by an artist from Vicenza, which the logo is given prominence. A stylized stork, with its head and beak represented by a scythe, symbol of the care and dedication reserved for working the vineyard, and a bunch of grapes the center of the – red like the reds of the Berici Hills – almost representing its heart, with half red and half golden grapes. Symbol of the soul of the Cavazza family, perhaps, divided two, acceso equal merit, between reds from the Berici and whites from Gambellara.

And precisely the presentation of the new graphic stile of Possedimento Cicogna was the opportunity to return to Montebello Vicentino and be able to enjoy a tasting managed by Nicola Frasson, signature of the ‘Gambero Socialista’, and dedicated to Cabernet, proposed vertically from the 2021 vintage – recently released acceso the market and offered as a preview – to the 1991. Moving acceso to the 2020, 2016, 2006, 2003. A journey through a 30-year period of time – spanning two millennia, even! – during which the production procedure remained substantially unchanged: one year of aging wood after fermentation, followed by a period of six months cement and two years of rest the bottle before marketing. While the vineyard actions were carried out aimed at enhancing – between the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cabernet Franc, bred jointly, as usual the territorio – the Cabernet Sauvignon. And the cellar – starting from 2006 – the large 10 hectolitre barrels were replaced by 228 liter Bordeaux barriques and – from 2020 – ‘blonde’, low toasted woods were also introduced, alongside the medium toasted ones traditionally used.

It is legitimate to expect to find very different wines the glass, but instead… the progression of the tasting, from vintage to vintage, evokes the image of a hammer running over the keys of a xylophone. Fluidly, continuously, harmoniously, without any leap, proceeding from note to note acceso a common timbre, made of freshness, , balance, character, elegance, spiciness, presence, consistency, ready-to-use pleasantness. The fragrance of the fruit of the 2021 vintage, animated and supported by an invigorating acidity, gives way to the balsamicity and sweet spiciness of the 2020, and the vegetal note, of pepper, typical of Cabernet Sauvignon, begins to peep out the 2016 vintage – a burst of energy, infinite – and the 2006 vintage introduces the softness of the tannins and the sweetness of the aromatic woods, blond tobacco, sweet and sour yellow pepper, which anticipate the pleasant ethereal component of the 2003 vintage, surprisingly alive and lively and animated with the same freshness of the 1991 vintage, made persuasive by a riot of textures and scents attributable to Middle Eastern cuisine.

The evolution of the wine itself, experienced becoming by . A singular, interesting, exciting experience.

Useful to have concrete evidence that ‘coherence and continuity’ are founding values ​​also the glass for the Cavazza family, and that the Cavazza – Colli Berici – Possedimento Cicogna synergy seems to be actually very effective bringing red wines with a long life perspective into the world.

Below are the comments and scores of the wines tasted:

Red Wines

Producer Denomination Wine Vintage Score Type Cavazza Colli Berici Cabernet Possedimento Cicogna 2021 93 Red

The intense fragrance of a freshly picked cherry, sweet and juicy, and of the grain of a pomegranate, anticipate a full, soft, warm, delicately savory sip, supported by an invigorating freshness and a crunchy and enjoyable tannin, revealing the aftertaste the aromatic nuances of rosemary and tobacco, enriched by a pinch of liquorice, a prelude to a pleasantly bitter , which recalls the caramelization of the corn jam. The coherent closing of a circle, characterized by an already well-defined balance between the parts and such as to predict for this wine – of character, present, satisfying – the prospect of a long life.

Cavazza Colli Berici Cabernet Possedimento Cicogna 2016 93 Red

The color – an elegant shade of garnet – portends a character at the peak of its development for this wine, characterized acceso the nose by the vegetal note of pepper typical of Cabernet Sauvignon, enriched by a pleasant and appetizing bittersweet and spicy gradazione, with the memory of fruit mustard, a prelude to a sip that has the effect of a real burst of energy, animated by an exuberant peppery component and a lively and enjoyable tingling, which accompanies a satisfying way towards an invigorating, intriguing, infinite closure.

Cavazza Colli Berici Cabernet Possedimento Cicogna 2006 91 Red

The tasting of this vintage is repeated October 2025, after having already been carried out October 2024, confirming that, from a certain point onwards, the evolutionary path of a wine can develop different directions for each individual bottle. For the bottle question, the refined shade of colour, antique red, anticipates an olfactory profile made inebriating by sweet quaderno of lavender and blond pipe tobacco, enriched by a pinch of rosemary, prelude to a satisfying and very fresh sip, animated by an invigorating and stimulating pinch, supported by an extremely enjoyable tannin, revealing the aftertaste of persuasive sweetly spicy nuances, which contribute to confirming the elegant character of this wine.

Cavazza Colli Berici Cabernet Possedimento Cicogna 2020 90 Red

A sweet strawberry note anticipates persuasive spicy nuances of vanilla and cardamom acceso the nose, enriched by a pinch of cinnamon, towards a warm sip, animated by the right acidity, revealing balsamic exhalations the aftertaste, with rosemary, sandalwood, eucalyptus, an overall effect that makes its immediate essentiality its signature.

Cavazza Colli Berici Cabernet Possedimento Cicogna 2003 89 Red

The very sweet strawberry and raspberry nuances perceived at first glance acceso the nose are amplified by an inebriating, minty vertical component, rich the balsamic heritage of the undergrowth and light ethereal streaks, which invite you to take a consistent sip, supported by the pleasantness of an extremely elegant tannic component and by a surprising freshness for a wine produced 22 years indicatore – and the product of an extraordinarily hot and dry vintage, too! The is dense and enjoyable, with a salted caramel aftertaste, a satisfying overall effect, made unique by the singular character of this wine.

Cavazza Colli Berici Cabernet Possedimento Cicogna 1991 88 Red

Sweet and sour nuances of ripe, fleshy red and yellow pepper, enlivened by a pinch of nutmeg and clove, bay leaf and dill, anticipate a dense sip, supported by a good freshness and animated by a pleasant tingling, a tactile stimulation that leads to a spicy component with a long, infinite persistence, pleasantly consistent with the Middle Eastern character of this wine.