The goal of the Mezzane Valley Winegrowers Group is clear and well-defined: to actively promote and consistently support the process of establishing the ‘Vallate della Valpolicella’ as future Subzones while also highlighting the finest production areas of Soave.
Thirteen producers, each with their own history, origins, and unique style, come together around two fundamental elements. They all come from the Valle di Mezzane and are agricultural companies that exclusively vinify grapes from their own vineyards.
- Roccolo Grassi
- Massimago
- Le Tre Talestri
- Ilatium Morini
- Il Monte Caro
- Le Guaite di Noemi
- I Tamasotti
- Grotta del Ninfeo
- Falezze
- Le Cesette
- Carlo Alberto Negri
- Benini Alessandro
- Camerani Marinella
This is where the desire to come together originates: to tell the story of their territory and deepen its understanding to enhance it. “Knowledge leads to improvement,” says Camilla Rossi Chauvenet, owner of the Massimago estate. Understanding and studying the soils of the Valle di Mezzane is also a message and a challenge that these winemakers want to direct towards the Valpolicella Wine Protection Consortium, urging them to define the Subzones.
Mezzane Valley, a future Subzone of Valpolicella?
The study of the Subzones is currently at the core of the “Vallate Commission” activities within the Consortium for the Protection of Valpolicella Wines.
The concept of Subzones is certainly not new. It dates back to the late 19th century. In 1900, Giovanni Battista Perez published his book La provincia di Verona ed i suoi vini (The Province of Verona and Its Wines). In it, he described the unique characteristics of wine production in each valley of Valpolicella, including Mezzane. Later, in early 2023, the study of the soils was commissioned to pedologist Giuseppe Benciolini.
The result of this extensive work is a Soil Map of the Valley. In addition, there are thirteen detailed maps of the vineyards from each estate. These maps are crucial tools to help winemakers tackle climate change and identify the characteristics that unite the wines of the Mezzane Valley.
Soils of Mezzane Valley
The Mezzane Valley, like the other valleys in the Veronese hills located between the Adige Valley and the province’s eastern border, represents a small, unique microcosm.
From a geo-pedological perspective, it fully reflects the characteristics of the Lower Lessini area, while also maintaining, like any valley, its own distinctive and original identity.
The Mezzane Valley features all the rock formations of the stratigraphic series typical of the Lower Lessini. The soils reflect these characteristics and cover the valley’s terrain in a varied and original mosaic:
- moderately deep soils, extremely or highly calcareous, corresponding to the dominant limestone formations;
- clayey, non-calcareous soils where volcanic basalts emerge;
- very deep, variable-textured soils in the plains.
The thirteen companies supporting this project each represent different aspects of this diversity: some stand out for the predominance of the most typical and widespread soils in the valley, others encapsulate, within a few hectares, the total variability of the local denominations, while others are defined by the presence of “rare” soils, less common in the area and the denomination, but highly distinctive, able to reflect uniquely in their productions.
“Nero su bianco” aka “Written in stone” tasting
The Group specifically designed the ‘Nero su Bianco’ tasting for this research, drawing inspiration from the volcanic and limestone soils that characterize the Valle di Mezzane, reflecting the Group’s desire to capture and highlight these unique features in their wines.
The Presidents of Soave and Valpolicella Consortia Share Their Perspectives
“The journey towards defining the subzones for Valpolicella wines,” explained Christian Marchesini, president of the Consortium, “started some time ago and was recently reinitiated with a pedological study that revealed challenges in defining the areas. We also already have a subzone, Valpantena, which is underrepresented, but it has its own history. As we define the other 11-12 subzones or valleys, we need to consider the already established rights. There are, therefore, complex political aspects to address, aiming for consensus and inclusion. Discussions are ongoing across the different valleys, and I hope this momentum will lead to a unified project. We are confident that the subzones will provide an additional opportunity to tell the story of Valpolicella wines.”
The work of territorial definition in the Soave DOC through the UGA has been underway for a few years, but further specifications are needed. “We have 33 UGAs, some of which coincide with historic crus, but we’re just at the beginning and are working to define them more clearly,” said Cristian Ridolfi, president of the Soave Wines Consortium. “It’s not easy to describe their specificities, especially since they’re not explicitly defined in the regulations. To define them, I would like to go beyond the pedoclimatic aspects, highlighting the production traditions as well, since they lend themselves to storytelling. There are many beautiful places worldwide, but what makes the difference is the work of humans.”
Realism and awareness for the Mezzane Valley
They are cautious about jumping into lofty goals too soon. “Feet on the ground, awareness, and knowledge. We need to understand each other as a group to take the right steps towards growing together,” said Marco Sartori, owner of Roccolo Grassi Winery. The 13 winemakers deserve recognition for their love of this valley, even though the path ahead will be challenging, it will undoubtedly be rewarding. Working as a team is never easy, but will a clear and shared goal be the key to the success of the project?
Tasted wines
Soave wines
- Benini Alessandro, Soave Balinda 2023
- Camerani Marinella, Soave Fienile 2023
- Carlo Alberto Negri, Soave 2021
- Roccolo Grassi, Soave Broia 2022
Valpolicella wines
- Grotta del Ninfeo, Valpolicella Superiore 2020
- Talestri, Valpolicella Superiore Determinazione 2021
- Il Monte Caro, Valpolicella Superiore Sol Aria 2020
- Massimago, Valpolicella Superiore Profasio 2020
- Falezze, Valpolicella Superiore 2018
- Le Guaite di Noemi, Valpolicella Superiore 2014
- Ilatium Morini, Valpolicella Superiore Prognài 2017
- Le Cesete, Valpolicella Superiore 2016
- I Tamasotti, Valpolicella Superiore 2018