In Grezzana near Verona, Bertani, which has made the history of Italian winemaking since 1857, renews itself by combining the centenary charm of the cellars that preserve 45 perfectly cataloged vintages of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico with new cutting-edge wine-tasting spaces.
From today, wine-tasting or purchasing some of the precious vintages of Amarone Classico della Valpolicella Bertani is an even more unique and engaging experience.
The company, founded in 1857 by the brothers Giovan Battista and Gaetano Bertani and part of Angelini Wines & Estates since 2013, has, in fact, just unveiled the project, which involved over 400 square meters, of the new spaces of the historic cellar curated by the studio Westway Architects under the guidance of Maurizio Condoluci.
We have rethought the spaces of the cellar using historical elements of work and territory as tools for the story of a past that substantiates the present.
From May 2024 it is possible to book a tasting or organize an event in one of the 3 new reception areas – Sala Fondatori, Sala Archi, Sala Torchi – all characterized by an artisanal acidified concrete floor and materials inspired, also in the colors, to the landscape of Valpolicella.
Starting from the Sala Archi, boasting spectacular arches recovered from an old building incorporated within the spaces, the guest will be welcomed into a visual-museum journey that describes some fragments of Bertani’s history through antique objects that become “works of art”, thus testifying to the company’s centenary commitment as winemakers.
As we go down to visit the historic cellar, an exciting corridor awaits us decorated with wicker baskets once used for containing the grapes and a large arela hung like a painting. Arele are the traditional bamboo racks where, still today, the fresh grapes are rigorously placed by hand one by one to rest for a few months before being pressed.
From here, going down the ancient Verona red marble stairs, you reach the Bottaia dating back to the 19th century, where Amarone matures for at least 7 years in Slavonian oak barrels. The majesty of the cellar, unusual in its proportions for the time in which it was conceived by the Bertani brothers, makes us understand the pioneering vision of its founders.
The birth of the company is, in fact, due to Gaetano Bertani’s long stay in France where his friend Jules Guynot (inventor of the famous and homonymous pruning method) revealed to him the secrets of red wine processing. Thus, in 1857, having returned to Verona, together with his brother Giovan Battista he founded his cellar and, together, they began to produce “dry” wine, when only the sweet wine Recioto was produced in the area. Also, they were among the first to invest in bottled wine and sell it in the United States, while the rest of Italy still used the bulk one.
As further proof of the vision that has always distinguished the company, Bertani today maintains a unique collection of 45 vintages of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, right from the first, that of 1958, presented in 1968. The precious bottles are kept in the most evocative room of the Cellar, called The Library, precisely because they are perfectly archived in shelves.
And after having “touched” the history of Amarone first-hand, what could be better than a vertical tasting of Amarone vintages to be enjoyed in the Sala Fondatori or in the Sala Torchi?
At Cantine Bertani you can, in fact, choose between 2 tasting options: the Valpolicella Classica, which includes 4 iconic Bertani wines in their current vintages (Valpolicella Classico Le Miniere di Novare, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ognisanti di Novare, Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore Catullo, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico) and The Library Experience, which offers the unique opportunity to taste the historic vintages of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Bertani spanning 64 years of glorious history.
Certainly, one of the most fascinating and history-dense wine cellars in the world.
The Secret
In the history of Bertani, there is an event that testified to the quality and fame of its wines in the world: in 1937 Soave Bertani was chosen and included in the menu for the coronation of King George VI of England.
Useful Info
Cantine Bertani
Via Asiago 1
37023 Grezzana, Verona
Tel. +39 045 8658444
Both the wine tastings Valpolicella Classica (70 euro per person) and The Library Experience (200 euro per person) can be booked on the website bertani.net/esperienze
