Monte dall'Ora

Carlo Venturini and Alessandra Zantedeschi both come from rural family backgrounds, but for many years pursued completely different careers in the city. A few years ago, they returned to the countryside with the intention of producing wines that are both authentic and oppositional—since Valpolicella, with few exceptions, is largely dominated by industrial wine production.

The mountain that was offered to Carlo for their major project at the time, Monte dall’Ora, was so overgrown and wild that he was hesitant to even show it to Alessandra. Alessandra, however, had no such hesitation and immediately saw its potential. It took two years to restore the vineyards and rebuild the stone walls.

Today, Monte dall’Ora is a magnificent amphitheater, built on limestone and home to the full range of Valpolicella grape varieties: Corvina and Corvinone, of course, but also Molinara, Rondinella, Dindarella, and Oseletta. These are always blended in varying proportions to create their wines. Initially farmed organically, the vineyard is now fully biodynamic. The goal is to offer both the vines and themselves a healthy, vital environment. Many of the vines are decades old and are trained in the region’s traditional Pergola Veronese system.

The most important—and weightiest—wine in their portfolio is clearly their Amarone Stropa. In the past, Valpolicella producers used the most well-ventilated spots on their estates to dry the grapes, and while many now rely on fans, Carlo and Alessandra stick to tradition. Around Christmas—after roughly three months of "appassimento" (drying)—fermentation begins, and what happens then is rather difficult to fully understand.

The drying process concentrates the sugar in the grapes, which is then gradually converted into alcohol. Alcohol levels of 16% or more are common. This is not ideal terrain for natural yeasts, which typically stop fermenting at around 15%. But not in Valpolicella—thanks to a strain of yeast said to exist only in its hills, which completes fermentation even at these high levels.

As impressive as their Amarone may be, Monte dall’Ora truly stands out for the quality of its Valpolicella and Ripasso wines. Unlike many in the region, Alessandra and Carlo don’t see these as lesser products, but rather as unique challenges that deserve just as much attention—especially in the vineyard—as their Amarone. The Saseti comes from some fantastically located parcels around the estate in San Cariano. The grapes for the legendary Camporenzo come from a single vineyard mostly based on limestone, which gives the wine—always in need of a few minutes of air to reach its full potential—vibrancy, vitality, and tension. The Saustò, as is typical for Ripasso, undergoes a second fermentation, during which the grape skins from the Recioto (a sweet wine made in tiny quantities) are added. The result is a wine that combines the power and energy of Amarone with the lively tension of Valpolicella.