Winemaker Notes
Cesari was founded in 1936 by Gerardo Cesari who set out to produce an Amarone capable of competing with the great red wines of the world. Joined by his son Franco in the early 1960s, operations were expanded in an effort to conquer the export market. As one of the first Italian wines to be exported to all five continents, the Cesari name quickly became synonymous with Amarone the world round.
The winery continues to evolve while staying true to its regional roots. Franco’s children, Gerardo and Deborah, have joined their father in upholding the pillars of traditional winemaking while introducing innovative technology at their two state-of-the-art cellars.
Their estate holdings include more than 100 hectares of hillside vineyards located in premier sites in the Valpolicella appellation, including 3 single vineyards, primarily in the historic Classico area. An additional 10 hectares of 100% estate-managed vineyards under long-term lease are located throughout the Veneto region. All are primarily planted to indigenous varietals, with a small percentage of international grapes, carefully harvested by hand ensuring that only the best grapes are selected. In recent years, Cesari has adopted environmentally sustainable growing practices. Focused on quality, Cesari extensively ages their wines beyond the DOCG regulations.
The Cesari portfolio is comprised of unique, elegant, and balanced appellation wines renowned for authenticity, respected for regional character, and distinguished for superior quality.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Producing every style of wine and with great success, the Veneto is one of the most multi-faceted wine regions of Italy.
Veneto's appellation called Valpolicella (meaning “valley of cellars” in Italian) is a series of north to south valleys and is the source of the region’s best red wine with the same name. Valpolicella—the wine—is juicy, spicy, tart and packed full of red cherry flavors. Corvina makes up the backbone of the blend with Rondinella, Molinara, Croatina and others playing supporting roles. Amarone, a dry red, and Recioto, a sweet wine, follow the same blending patterns but are made from grapes left to dry for a few months before pressing. The drying process results in intense, full-bodied, heady and often, quite cerebral wines.
Soave, based on the indigenous Garganega grape, is the famous white here—made ultra popular in the 1970s at a time when quantity was more important than quality. Today one can find great values on whites from Soave, making it a perfect choice as an everyday sipper! But the more recent local, increased focus on low yields and high quality winemaking in the original Soave zone, now called Soave Classico, gives the real gems of the area. A fine Soave Classico will exhibit a round palate full of flavors such as ripe pear, yellow peach, melon or orange zest and have smoky and floral aromas and a sapid, fresh, mineral-driven finish.
Much of Italy’s Pinot grigio hails from the Veneto, where the crisp and refreshing style is easy to maintain; the ultra-popular sparkling wine, Prosecco, comes from here as well.