One of the reasons (and there are many) that I love wine stems from my passion for travel. A glass of wine can transport your mind to faraway places, telling the story of a region through its grape varieties and aging processes, landscape, climate, and traditions. When you open a bottle of wine with friends and family, any get-together can be turned into a celebration of distant cultures.

At a recent vertical wine tasting led by Andrea Lonardi, chief winemaker at Cantine Bertani, a small group of wine trade and media—friends, both new and old—voyaged to northeastern Italy’s Valpolicella region, free from the headaches of air travel. We were greeted by a superb selection of seven vintages of Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico: 2012, 2011, 2003, 1998, 1988, 1975, and 1967, paired with the delicious cuisine of Manhattan’s Ci Siamo restaurant.

Visiting Valpolicella

Valpolicella, in the western part of the Veneto region, stretches north beyond the plains and up into the hills above Verona. Its name most likely derives from a mix of Latin and Greek phrases meaning "Valley of Cellars.”

The region's inviting climate and picturesque landscapes have long attracted people. Beginning in the 1400s, Veronese and Venetian nobles built elegant country houses with renowned gardens. Today, visitors flock to the square of the San Giorgio church in Sant'Ambrogio, which offers a magnificent viewpoint to admire the valley and vineyards below.

History buffs and wine lovers will find it interesting that during the Middle Ages, Catholic monks, recognizing the region's potential, planted vineyards and established grape varieties that are now synonymous with Valpolicella: Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone, and Molinara. The region’s highly admired red wines are made in four styles: Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso, Amarone, and sweet Recioto.

Decades of History

In this land of old traditions and superb wines, Cantine Bertani has played an important role in shaping the region’s viticultural landscape. Bertani's origins trace back to 1857 when visionary brothers Giovan Battista and Gaetano Bertani founded the winery. Gaetano fled to Burgundy during the Austrian occupation and studied under French viticulturist expert Jules Guyot, a pioneer of the Guyot vine-training system. Upon returning to Verona, Gaetano Bertani’s newfound knowledge laid the groundwork for Bertani's enduring legacy.

In 2011, the Bertani family sold the estate to Angelini Wines and Estates, owners of prestigious Italian wineries like Val di Suga in Montalcino and San Leonino in Chianti Classico, beginning a new era of winemaking innovations, led by Lonardi.

The pinnacle of Bertani's winemaking lies in its Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, a dry red wine crafted by the appassimento method. This process involves hanging or laying the grapes out for several weeks to partially dry and results in wines with a greater intensity of color, aroma, and flavor.

Amarone is known to be heavy and powerful, with a lot of structure. However, well-crafted versions of this robust wine are lively and will entice you to keep sipping throughout a meal. The Bertani Amarone tasted at lunch, from youngest to oldest, were well-balanced; their vibrant acidity harmonized with the rich fruit, intense aromas, and strong tannins. They made a great match to the various lunch courses, from a caramelized onion tart to wood-fired trout and succulent pork sausages.

The wines enhanced the food, and vice versa, a sommelier’s dream pairing!

**A Lunchtime favorite: The 1967 with a creamy onion tart.**

Italianico Style

During the tasting, Lonardi, a native of Valpolicella and Master of Wine, introduced the concept of Italianico—a celebration of "Italianness" that defines the great Italian wine classics. This style extends beyond Amarone to other Italian wine regions like Barolo, Barbaresco, Chianti Classico, and Brunello, each embodying their respective regions’ essence.

Lonardi elaborated on the three elements of Italianico: color, nose, and palate, using, as examples, the Amarone wines set before us. Their light ruby color defy the stereotype that older vintages are muddy brown in hue. On the nose, aromas of ginger, orange peel, alpine herbs, and balsamic are a sensory journey to the Valpolicella hills. And finally, the incredible freshness, tension, and well-integrated tannins on the palate reflect the region's unique terroir of limestone volcanic soils and a semi-alpine climate.

**Andrea Lonardi signing A copy of *The Library*, A collection of 44 vintages of Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico.**

Bringing Valpolicella Home

Bertani’s Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is aged for ten years in casks before release, but the winery holds back a significant number of bottles annually. Today, their collection of historic vintages dates to 1958.

Whether you're considering an investment, searching for a perfect holiday gift, or simply looking for the best wine to serve with a meal, all the wines from the lunch are available. You can find the 2012s in the $130 to $175 range, with the older vintages considerably more expensive.

Let one or more of these Amarone wines take you away to Valpolicella no matter where in the world you are!

Tasting notes: Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

2012 - Fruity and fresh with acid-driven tension (a wonderful tanginess); nose of licorice and dried fruits; palate is savory, dry, and medium-bodied. Age for 5-10 years for enhanced complexity.

2011 - Light on its feet, yet with an intense and spicy nose, big tannins, and concentrated fruit. Best to wait until at least 2031 for peak enjoyment.

2003 - Bold nose of orange zest and warm spices, rich, indulgent flavors of dark berries and chocolate. Soft, decadent, and mature, reflecting a warm vintage with a lot of fruity ripeness and less tartness. Drink now, as it’s likely at its peak.

1998 - Intensely ripe with a nose reminiscent of port and tobacco, full-bodied palate of cedar and dark, dried fruits. Slightly candied and youthful for 25 years of age.

1988 - Intensely perfumed with dark fruit, tobacco, and leather nose, followed by a delightful piney, woody, bell pepper, cedar taste, and a lively tanginess. A style loved by Burgundy and Barolo enthusiasts.

1975 - Piney, herbal nose with chocolate hints, full of life and character, fresh and chalky on the palate with spice notes, harmonious and supple with sweet red fruit. Delicious, light, and subtly complex—classic Bertani.

1967 - Amazingly fresh, tart, and lively for a wine of its age, with nuanced, gentle fruit, velvety tannins, and a long finish of dried fruit. My favorite wine of the day!

Pair Bertani Amarone with Northern Italian Beef Stew. Click here for the recipe.