Montevetrano

"The most exciting thing is when I can taste a wine that I don't know anything about."says Silvia Imparato.

The pioneer in the Campanian wine world and owner of the magnificent Montevetrano winery, in earlier years she regularly had the opportunity to enjoy many of the lesser-known, but still magnificent, wines of the world. Only then did she decide to make her own wine on the small family estate in the province of Salerno together with the famous oenologist Riccardo Cotarella: This was the birth of Montevetrano. Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Aglianico and sold year after year in modified blends, this wine has since conquered the hearts of wine lovers around the globe as one of the world's most famous cuvées.

Although Silvia's grandparents used to produce wine, fruit, nuts and olive oil for their own use, the trained photographer came to Rome in the 1980s at a wine tasting by chance. From an initial adventure with only a few thousand bottles produced, Montevetrano, a district of the municipality of San Cipriano Picentino, has become a top winery. Today, Azienda Agricola Montevetrano bottles around 30,000 bottles for almost a single label. This exceptional wine, which determines the image of an entire region, is certified by experts to have survived every debate on contemporary tastes and its style.

The grape varieties harvested in the vineyard under the strict control of Domenico La Rocca are vinified separately in the 400 square metre cellar. The separation of the fruits is carried out because, on the one hand, the harvest times vary and, on the other hand, Riccardo Cotarella determines the final mixture only after fermentation. The wine is first stored in steel vats for about 15 days before resting in new wooden barrels for ten to twelve months. This guarantees proper ageing and a perfectly balanced ripening process that preserves the typical regional characteristics of Montevetrano.

Cotarella, who has long been a friend of the landowner, is considered one of the most respected representatives of his profession in Italy. The president of the Union Internationale des Oenologues is known worldwide for flagships such as Tignanello and Solaia. And again and again the sought-after wine magician ("Il Mago"), previously unknown regions such as Campania - and above all the Montevetrano winery - to extract absolute top wines. SUPERIORE.DE

"There are no new fashions or trends that could shake the generally recognised authority of Montevetrano and its creator, Silvia Imparato ... Montevetrano is now rocking an entire wine-growing region, today more of a classic than an avant-garde label."Gambero Rosso