Viticulture
Perspective Brigaldara
A kind of viticulture that embraces such different areas of Valpolicella deserves a carefurl agronomic management. Its goal is to enhance the different expressions of the diverse terroirs and microterroirs that make up the complex and multifaceted "perspective" of Brigaldara.
According to this agronomic management the vineyard is key. Here, most operations are carried out manually by a team of agronomists who work shoulder to shoulder with oenologists and management. Every decision is made taking into account the importance of preserving biodiversity and respecting the vegetative-productive balance of each ecosystem. Other key elements are the ripening process of the grapes and the individual needs of each vineyard. Prompt interventions, accurate operations and a drastic reduction of treatments in the vineyard guarantee a sustainable long-term vision for Brigaldara's vineyards, where pesticides and synthetic products are banned, in favor of a reasoned use of sulfur, copper and pelleted manure.
An ancient and visionary bond
Brigaldara's relationship with Valpolicella does not end with winemaking. It is the reinstatement of an ancient and visionary bond with its terroir. The retrieval of an organic dimension. The act of cultivating the land baring in mind the importance of sustainability and of the natural synergies that take place in a balanced ecosystem.
The rural ecosystem in Case Vecie
In Case Vecie, with over 70 hectares, Brigaldara has set up a very strict action where men, plants and animals are all part of the same virtuous cycle: other than viticulture, forestry is practiced, and Brigaldara is responsible for the maintainance of dry-stone walls and fields, the management of the truffle ground and the reintroduction of sheep farming.
Truffle-ground
In the rural ecosystem of Case Vecie, where summer truffles have always spontaneously grown, there is now a truffle-ground. Planted in the early 90s with mycorrhized trees - that is to say, suitable to host the radical symbiosis with truffle spores (underground mushrooms), it is dedicated to the collection of black truffles, especially the Tuber melanosporum and the Tuber Aestivum - locally known as Scorzone for its thick peel.
Winery
In Brigaldara, the winemaking process has always been a crucial element of the identity behind the company. Every action in the cellar finds its roots in Professor Ferrarini's insights and research. He is without a doubt one of the key winemakers who, more than any other, contributed to the rebirth of Amarone wine in Valpolicella.
The team of young winemakers in Brigaldara are among his ex-students and pursue an innovative vision. A style based on tradition, without sacrificing drinkability, freshness and, above all, always respecting varietal differences - especially those concerning Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, authoctonous grape varieties of the area. After blending these varieties, new distinctive nuances and reflections of terroir are clearly detectable in the Amarone and Valpolicella wines that are here produced.
In the cellar there are no written recepies. However, every action is based on the respect and enhancement of the yearly seasonal changes that affect the grape varieties. The wine derives from these unknown elements, from the inability to standardize a vintage. And this is its strength, its marvellous wonder.
Stefano Cesari
A new lightness
Since the 80s up to the present day, Valpolicella has pursued a particular wine-style based on large concentrations, resulting in an Amarone udergoing lengthy dryings, extreme colour extractions and excessive residual sugar. A style that Brigaldara has radically reversed, reaching for the traditional lightness and freshness that characterized Valpolicella wines in the past. The result is a clean, rigorous style, focused on drinkability and on the preservation of the aromatic profiles of the grapes. Alcohol and sugars are never preponderant, leaving space for the elements that represent the soul of Valpolicella and the expression of the terroir they come from.
Aging - the double use of wood
Brigaldara was one of the first wineries in Valpolicella to adopt a new techique in the aging process for both Amarone and Recioto. A technique based on the double use of wood, where the wines are first placed in small barrels, and then complete the aging process in large 25hl slavonian oak barrels. Small barrels promote oxygenation and color fixation, while large barrels complete the wine maturation process, adding roundness, structure and helping the development of its natural aroma.
