The technique of drying the grapes (appassimento)

The technique of drying the grapes (appassimento) has been known and used in the Verona area since the time of the ancient Romans. The lofts of the Valpolicella, an area which enjoys the benefits of the dry winds from Lake Garda, are the ideal location for the appassimento of the bunches of Corvina and Rondinella, which are placed on racks in a single layer and left to dry for 120 – 140 days. The racks consist of a frame made of wood and river cane, which is particularly suitable to absorb any surplus humidity fom the grapes, thus preventing any unwanted rotting.

All working processes, from monitoring the grapes in the vineyard to picking the best bunches, arranging them on the aréle (cane racks) and daily checking of the drying process, are carried out manually.

The appassimento process causes a loss of water and therefore a concentration of sugar and of all the other grape components. But that is not all: many other changes take place in the grape, and a series of aromas and pre-aromas are formed which make grapes pressed in January and February very different from those pressed in September and October.

The ripasso technique

Ripasso is a well-known traditional technique used to produce a fruity, soft and long-lasting Valpolicella.

The ripasso process consists of allowing the Valpolicella produced in October to ferment a second time: in March and April it is placed over the pomace of Recioto and Amarone, because after the must of the wines has been separated the skins left over are still rich in yeast, sugar and aromas, which provide vital and precious nourishment to enhance the characteristics of the Valpolicella. By refermenting slowly for about a week at low temperatures (16-18°C), the wine takes on new aromas of spices and dried plums, and increases the intensity of the notes of cherry, wild black cherry and nuts which are already present in the Valpolicella. The sweet tannins, acidity and longevity of the wine are also increased.

Bertani produces two wines using the ripasso technique: the historic Secco-Bertani and the Valpolicella Ripasso Villa Novare. The Secco-Bertani, which ever since the company was founded has been produced from Rondinella and Corvina grapes grown in the Valpantena, is given its second fermentation in the spring (first fermentation is in the autumn) on the rich pomace of Recioto and Amarone. For the Valpolicella Ripasso Villa Novare, made from Rondinella and Corvina grapes grown on the Novare estate, the process is the same, the only difference being that during the second fermentation a small percentage of dried grapes is included, to give the wine a pleasing fruity nose and greater roundness in the mouth.

Fermentation vats

Over the last twenty years or so we have extended the use of wooden vats for fermentation to white wines, particularly Gargànega. This variety, the most important indigenous white grape in the whole Veneto region, is a generous one, which can easily produce large quantities when grown on the plains but gives the best results when grown on the slopes, where the lower yield is compensated for by the stronger aromatic component and body of the wine. The must obtained from grapes that have been allowed to over-ripen slightly on the vine is fermented in large French oak vats, each with a capacity of 75 hl.

Fermentation in the wood produces aromatic molecules, for both nose and mouth, which are more complex than those obtained from fermentation in steel because a series of combinations occurs between the must (therefore aromas from the base grape), the yeast and the wood (with its taste and olfactory components).

Once the tumultuous fermentation phase is over, the wine can stay on the “fecce fini” (known as maturation on the “lees”). The yeast cells, having accomplished their fermenting function, give the wine secondary aromas,definiti di prodotti da forno and greater longevity.

Glazed cement wine tanks

In our cellars at Grezzana and Novare we still use the historic glazed cement tanks. The inside walls of each of these tanks are completely coated with glass tiles which constitute a minor masterpiece of “embroidery”. Thanks to the painstaking work carried out more than half a century ago by skilled craftsmen it is still possible today to preserve unaltered the characteristics of the wine which ferments in these monumental wine tanks.

The optimum insulation and stable temperature provided by these glazed tanks are ideal for the ageing and secondary fermentation of red wines such as Bardolino and Valpolicella Classico.

Vinification tanks

Bertani’s long history of vinification has always featured constant innovations aimed at improving traditional techniques, without abandoning them. One of the more recent innovations has been the introduction of stainless steel fermentation tanks which are wider and lower than those normally used.

By reducing the amount of mechanical handling of the must amd the skins, these tanks keep the organoleptic characteristics of our wines intact, thus making it possible to produce wines of the highest quality, both fresh young wines such as Valpolicella Classico and longer lasting wines which need to be aged for a long time before tasting, like the Amarones.