Bertani

Bertani was established in 1857 by brothers Giovan Battista and Gaetano Bertani in Quinto di Valpantena, in the heart of Valpolicella. Gaetano's studies in Burgundy under Jules Guyot proved transformative: he brought back revolutionary vineyard methodologies, including the Guyot vine training system, and applied a Burgundian philosophy of elegance and balance to Veronan winemaking. The estate became one of the first Italian wineries to bottle and export wine on a significant commercial scale. A notable milestone came in 1937, when Bertani's Soave was served at the coronation of King George VI.

• Founded 1857 in Quinto di Valpantena, Veneto
• Gaetano Bertani trained under Jules Guyot in Burgundy, shaping the estate's winemaking philosophy
• Among Italy's earliest large-scale commercial bottlers and exporters
• Soave served at the coronation of King George VI in 1937

Bertani is widely considered the birthplace of modern Amarone. The estate was among the first to commercially market a dry version of what had been known as Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone, releasing the landmark 1953 vintage alongside Bolla. The term 'Amarone' itself was coined in 1936. Bertani's Amarone is built on Corvina Veronese, which comprises 80% of the blend, with Rondinella making up the remaining 20% maximum. Grapes are dried on straw mats for a minimum of 99 days using the appassimento method before crushing, concentrating sugars, flavors, and acidity. The resulting wine is aged for a minimum of 7-8 years in large Slavonian oak barrels of 50-100 hectolitres, followed by at least one year of bottle aging.

• Corvina Veronese forms 80% of the Amarone blend; Rondinella up to 20%
• Grapes dried on straw mats for a minimum of 99 days before crushing
• Only the top 30% of grape clusters are selected for Amarone production
• Minimum aging: 7-8 years in large Slavonian oak, plus 1 year in bottle

Bertani operates two primary estates. The Grezzana estate sits in Valpolicella Valpantena, while Tenuta Novare, acquired in 1957, lies in the Valpolicella Classica zone at Arbizzano di Negrar. Tenuta Novare dedicates 65 hectares to vines, and the broader estate covers more than 200 hectares in total, with over 550 acres devoted to Amarone production. Vineyards in hillside locations reach over 600 meters elevation in the foothills of the Lessini Mountains. Soils are exceptionally diverse, ranging from calcareous-marl and limestone-clay mixtures to red and white limestone, black volcanic basalt, calcareous-dolomitic rocks, moraines, and river deposits. Notably, volcanic basalt soils comprise only 10% of the Classica zone, yet Bertani owns the majority of those volcanic parcels.

• Two primary estates: Grezzana (Valpantena) and Tenuta Novare (Classica, Arbizzano di Negrar)
• Hillside vineyards reach over 600 meters elevation in the Lessini Mountain foothills
• Soils include volcanic basalt, limestone, calcareous-marl, moraines, and river deposits
• Bertani owns the majority of the rare volcanic basalt parcels in the Classica zone

Bertani's vintage library, running continuously from 1958 to 2024, is among the largest private wine libraries in the world, documenting more than 66 years of Valpolicella winemaking history. The estate's Amarone ranks as the top-selling Amarone above $100 USD according to Nielsen data. The Guyot training system introduced by Gaetano Bertani in the 19th century remains in use across the estate today. In 2011, Angelini Wines and Estates acquired the producer, and a subsequent family ownership transition gave rise to the separate Tenuta Santa Maria di Gaetano Bertani branch between 2011 and 2018. Amarone della Valpolicella received DOCG status in 2010, having held DOC status since 1968.

• Vintage library spans 1958 to 2024, one of the world's most extensive
• Top-selling Amarone above $100 USD by Nielsen data
• Amarone della Valpolicella elevated to DOCG in 2010 (DOC from 1968)
• Angelini Wines and Estates acquired Bertani in 2011