About the Producer
It’s rare when a simple vision has the power to span centuries. For Giovan Battista and Gaetano Bertani, they wagered that painstaking quality, not sheer volume, would be the future of Valpolicella wines. And they were, of course, right. From their earliest days, the trailblazing Bertani brothers stood out for their entrepreneurial drive and innovative spirit, establishing the Bertani winery as one of the first in Italy to realize the value of bottled wine while also making huge investments in quality viticulture and winemaking. In fact, Gaetano’s friendship with Burgundy’s Dr. Jules Guyot afforded their young enterprise the benefit of his cutting-edge vineyard methodologies and vine training techniques — revolutionary at the time in Valpolicella. They were also one of the first Veronese producers to export their wines on a significant scale. Modern and forward thinking, even then. Deeply traditional but always contemporary, Bertani is still at the forefront of what the Veneto can, and should, be. Their Soave was famously served at the coronation of King George VI in 1937. They also pioneered the production of Amarone della Valpolicella in the 1950s — then called Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone — before it was recognized as part of the young Valpolicella DOC in 1968 and well before the style was granted its own DOCG status in 2010. Always in pursuit of a terroir-driven wine that delivers power and verve while standing the test of time. Bertani is propelled forward today by the innate dynamism of their talented vineyard and winery team who each live and breathe the essence of “Valpo” — a veritable treasure trove of (still largely undiscovered and uncatalogued) terroirs. This incredible territory gives rise to compelling wines of place with unrivaled elegance and longevity. Bertani’s impact on Veneto wine making, particularly in Amarone production, is so considerable that ‘Bertani’ and ‘Amarone’ are nearly synonymous. Their 150+ year history is dotted with groundbreaking initiatives and … Bertani is wholly unique in the world of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico — their iconic crown jewel that is consistently Nielsen’s top-selling Amarone over $100.* The estate’s wine library, which holds 45 back vintages of Classico (spanning 66 years of history, from 1958 to 2024) also happens to be one of the largest in the world. Extraordinary wine zones are, in the grand scheme of the world, rare. And Valpolicella is certainly one of them. Here, Bertani has not one but two beating hearts: their original estate in Grezzana, located in Valpolicella Valpantena, and Tenuta Novare (acquired in 1957) in Arbizzano di Negrar within Valpolicella Classica. After a meticulous hand harvest, the grapes are laid to dry naturally on arèle (straw mats or bamboo racks) at Tenuta Novare using the messa a riposo technique — the only source of ventilation comes from opening the windows in the morning and closing them in the evening. The team tells us they know the grapes are ready for pressing when the phenolic changes are completed and the flavors have gained complexity. The Classico wines are aged in large Slavonian oak botti, usually for seven years, before 12-15 months aging in bottle. Hand-selected, exceptional wines that deliver quality and enjoyment at every level. A distinctive selection of artisanal spirits that inspire creativity and exploration.
