Santa Sofia
Wines by Santa Sofia
In the heart of Valpolicella Classica, at Pedemonte, Santa Sofia has long stood as one of the historic names of the region, rooted in a place where architecture, landscape and wine have remained closely bound for centuries. Here, beneath a Palladian villa and within cellars that reach back to the Middle Ages, the story of the winery unfolds across different eras, all tied to the same land.
The foundations of Santa Sofia lie deep in the history of the estate. The oldest part of the cellar was built in the 14th century by the friars of San Bernardino, while the villa above took shape in 1565 under the hand of Andrea Palladio. Wine production itself began here in 1811, establishing a continuity that still defines the estate today.
A decisive turning point came in 1967, when the Begnoni family took ownership of Santa Sofia and began to reshape its path with a clear focus on quality and on the identity of the territory. Giancarlo Begnoni, trained as an oenologist, set the course, while the following generation, represented by Luciano Begnoni, carried the winery forward with the same attention to place and long-term vision.
The vineyards are drawn partly from estate holdings and partly from long-standing growers, with a strong focus on hillside sites in the most suited areas of Verona. Alongside the historic core in Valpolicella Classica, the estate has gradually expanded its reach through the Briago property in Valpantena and more recent vineyards in Lugana, bringing together distinct landscapes under a single philosophy.
Across Amarone, Valpolicella and other wines of the Veronese tradition, Santa Sofia follows an approach built on careful selection, continuity and elegance. Today, the winery presents a broad yet coherent interpretation of its territory, where centuries of history remain closely connected to the work of the present.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOC Classico “De Divino Palladio” 2003
€266.00
Bottle: 750 ml
Vintage: 2003
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico 2011
€148.00One of Valpolicella’s oldest wineries, Santa Sofia has made Amarone in the heart of the Classico zone since the 19th century. Aged mainly in large Slavonian oak casks, it keeps a traditional style built on elegance, balance and freshness, with a long life in bottle and room for the fruit and the land to show.
Bottle: 750ml
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 15%
Grapes: Corvina e Corvinone 70%, Rondinella 30%
Ageing: 36 months in big Slavonian oak barrels and at least 12 months in bottle
Aromas: From ripe cherries and rhubarb to jam-packed wild berries. The initial fruitiness is elegantly underscored by decadent chocolate and enigmatic oriental spices.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico 2013
€94.00One of Valpolicella’s oldest wineries, Santa Sofia has made Amarone in the heart of the Classico zone since the 19th century. Aged mainly in large Slavonian oak casks, it keeps a traditional style built on elegance, balance and freshness, with a long life in bottle and room for the fruit and the land to show.
Bottle: 750ml
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol: 15%
Grapes: Corvina e Corvinone 70%, Rondinella 30%
Ageing: 36 months in big Slavonian oak barrels and at least 12 months in bottle
Aromas: From ripe cherries and rhubarb to jam-packed wild berries. The initial fruitiness is elegantly underscored by decadent chocolate and enigmatic oriental spices.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico 2020
€63.00One of Valpolicella’s oldest wineries, Santa Sofia has made Amarone in the heart of the Classico zone since the 19th century. Aged mainly in large Slavonian oak casks, it keeps a traditional style built on elegance, balance and freshness, with a long life in bottle and room for the fruit and the land to show.
Bottle: 750ml
Vintage: 2020
Alcohol: 15%
Grapes: Corvina e Corvinone 70%, Rondinella 30%
Ageing: 36 months in big Slavonian oak barrels and at least 12 months in bottle
Aromas: From ripe cherries and rhubarb to jam-packed wild berries. The initial fruitiness is elegantly underscored by decadent chocolate and enigmatic oriental spices.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico “Gioé” 2013
€138.00
Bottle: 750ml
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol: 15,5%
Grapes: Corvina and Corvinone 80%, Rondinella 20%
Ageing: 24 months of aging in Slavonian oak barrels, followed by another 18 months in French oak barriques. Finally, it sits for two more years in the bottle.
Aromas: A rich tapestry of scents, starting with cherries steeped in alcohol, evolving into an expansive array of notes such as jam of wild berries, dried fruit, undergrowth, and even subtle hints of cocoa and dried flowers.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico “Gioé” 2016
€114.00One of Valpolicella’s oldest wineries, Santa Sofia has made Amarone in the heart of the Classico zone since the 19th century. Aged mainly in large Slavonian oak casks, it keeps a traditional style built on elegance, balance and freshness, with a long life in bottle and room for the fruit and the land to show.
Bottle: 750ml
Vintage: 2016
Alcohol: 15,5%
Grapes: Corvina and Corvinone 80%, Rondinella 20%
Ageing: 24 months of aging in Slavonian oak barrels, followed by another 18 months in French oak barriques. Finally, it sits for two more years in the bottle.
Aromas: A rich tapestry of scents, starting with cherries steeped in alcohol, evolving into an expansive array of notes such as jam of wild berries, dried fruit, undergrowth, and even subtle hints of cocoa and dried flowers
Awards: James Suckling 93/100