1978 Bertani Recioto della Valpolicella Valpantena Riserva Spumante Naturale, 3-bottle Lot

Bertani is a 500-acre estate in Grezzano, in the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy. It was founded in 1857 by brothers Giovan and Gaetano Bertani. Today the estate is still owned and operated by the Bertani family and has vineyards in Valpolicella and Soave as well as its historic holdings near Verona. Bertani makes a wide portfolio of wines, but it is particularly known for Amarone and Valpolicella. The Amarones often earn Gambero Rosso’s top award of 3 glasses. Gambero Rosso notes that the estate makes “wines of admirable complexity and elegance.”

Veneto in northeastern Italy is one of the country’s most important wine regions and has 220,000 acres of vineyards. It is the third largest wine producing region in Italy after Sicily and Puglia. Though Veneto produces more red than white wine, it is most famous for its Soave and Prosecco, both white wines. Venice is the best-known city in the region, but the area’s wine-making capital is Verona. Close to Verona are the appellations for Bardolino, Valpolicella and Soave. The Veneto is also home to Amarone, the densely concentrated, seriously alcoholic, big red wines made by using grapes that are partially or fully dried. The results are lush, sometimes nearly syrupy red wines that approach 20% alcohol, even though most are not sweet. The most famous conventional red wine is Valpolicella, which means “valley of many cellars.” The name is perhaps a reference to the fact that Veneto is home to a number of indigenous grapes not found elsewhere, including the deep red grapes Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, all used to make Valpolicella. Garganega is the indigenous white grape used for Soave.