Perched 500 meters above sea level on the Marano di Valpolicella hill, Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde is not just a winery; it’s a tribute to the land and its history. Here, the ancient chapel dedicated to Santa Maria Valverde overlooks a landscape where tradition and nature converge. The vineyards, nurtured on south-facing terraces of clayey soil rich in chalk, are home to traditional grape varieties including Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara Oseletta, all cultivated to achieve the highest quality of yield.

This self-sufficient winery oversees every aspect of the winemaking process, from vine to bottle. The selection process is rigorous, ensuring only the best grapes are chosen for their prestigious Amarone, a wine that has garnered international acclaim. The unique grape drying technique, unchanged since Roman times, takes place in a natural stone chamber within the cellar, highlighting the winery’s commitment to traditional methods.

At Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde, the concept of “cru” is deeply respected. The winery produces a diverse range of wines, including Valpolicella Classico and Superiore, Ripasso, Savinè Cabernet Sauvignon, Recioto, and, of course, Amarone. The aging process in French oak barrels adds depth and complexity to these wines, each bottle individually numbered to guarantee traceability and exclusivity. Producing 10,000 bottles a year, the winery practices parcelization, vinifying individual grape varieties in small batches to create wines that are deeply connected to the territory and each vintage’s unique character.

The winery’s history is as rich as its wines. In the late 1700s, the Campagnola brothers inherited the estate from their father, an officer in the Austro-Hungarian army. This legacy continued through generations, overcoming challenges and evolving with the times. From the Osteria under Porta Borsari in Verona to the modern-day vineyards, the journey of Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde is a story of resilience, tradition, and innovation.

“Tradition is a sequence of successful innovations,” a philosophy that Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde embodies. Merging time-honored methods with modern techniques, the winery stands as a visionary in sustainable winemaking, deeply connected to its physical and climatic environment, and intertwined with the social and economic fabric of the region.

Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde is not just a winery; it’s a living legacy of winemaking, where each bottle of wine is a chapter in a story that spans centuries, a story of passion, dedication, and an unyielding commitment to excellence.