Sartori Wine Lunch
Excellent lunch today with Andrea Sartori of Sartori di Verona, one of the most significant wine companies in Veneto, Italy.
Aside from the excellent wine, two of the key reasons this tasting of quality Italian wines stood out is because of the gregarious, welcoming nature of Andrea himself, the fact he brought his son Giacomo.
Now a recent university graduate, this is the first time Giacomo attended a press trip with his charismatic father. Giacomo himself was quite charismatic as he explained the process of drying grapes in the appassimento for their Amarone.
Winery Background
The tasting and lunch began with an introduction to the Sartori brand.
Sartori di Verona was founded by Pietro Sartori in 1898 and passed down to great-grandson Andrea, appointed managing director in 1998.
Andrea perfected his English while attending classes at New York’s Columbia University. Back home, he sold Sartori wines throughout Italy before helping to expand markets in the US, Canada and Europe.
By 2000, he became the president of the winery.
During the lunch he revealed that his grandfather (who passed before he met him) found a statue in Verona called Sartori which represented the city. In the 1940s, he received a trademark to use it as the symbol of the family’s winery.
Like his grandfather and great grandfather, is he dedicated to the classic Veronese varieties and styles with a focus on Valpolicella, Soave, Bardolino and Bardolino Chiaretto Classico DOC wines.
The Wines
During the lunch we discovered Sartori di Verona through a tasting of five of the winery’s premium estate wines.
They included:
Sartori Marani Bianco Veronese IGT 2019
Sartori ‘Regolo’ Valpolicella Classico Ripasso 2018
Sartori Valpolicella Classico Superiore ‘Montegradella ’2017
Sartori ‘Reius’ Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2016
Sartori ‘Corte Bra Riserva ‘ Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2013
They paired each of the wines above with a variety of dishes, included seafood, cheese, pasta, game, meat, and even pizza to show their versatility with cuisine.
The white Sartori Marani Bianco Veronese IGT 2019 was especially delicious – very rich and nearly full-bodied, it was a wine to pair with gently breaded seafood. Andrea revealed they made the wine in honor of his grandmother, who he called a very elegant woman.
The type of woman who wore her most elegant clothes, even when indulging in her favorite pastime, gardening.
Next came the Sartori ‘Regolo’ Valpolicella Classico Ripasso 2018 and Sartori Valpolicella Classico Superiore ‘Montegradella’ 2017, great examples of a well balanced Valpolicella with racy acidity and good fruit.
The last two wines were the crown jewels in the collection, Sartori ‘Reius’ Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2016 and Sartori ‘Corte Bra Riserva ‘ Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2013
These two Amarone wines were traditional in style yet very elegant, with moderate alcohol and very vibrant acidity. It’s a brand name to seek in restaurants and wine lists.
It was a pleasaure meeting Andrea and his son. They are such genuine people who love meeting others and explaining their wine story.
