2016 Ca’ La Bionda Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG

About Ca’ La Bionda

The Azienda Agricola Cala Bionda is situated in the commune of Marano di Valpolicella, in the heart of the historically classic zone of the Valpolicella. The vineyard area extends over 29 hectares of hillside land at an altitude which ranges between 150 and 300 meters above sea level and with an eastern exposure. The winery, recently renovated and restructured, was founded in 1902 by Pietro Castellani who was both a passionate and dedicated grape grower and wine-maker. The Castellani family, currently in its fourth generation, continues with the same commitment and passion the work began by Pietro more than one hundred years ago. All phases of the wine-making process, cultivation of the highest quality grapes, grape harvest, vinification, ageing and marketing are carried out directly by the family. Particular attention and care are given to the delicate process of grape drying or appassimento that is essential for the making of Recioto and Amarone, the regions greatest and most noble wines. The soil is for the greater part of calcareous nature, as marine sediment, and this confers to the wine, given an equal level of acidity, a unique and exceptional longevity and anti-oxidant power: suffice it to think that the average pH value after malolactic fermentation is approximately 3.3. This characteristic confers to our Amarone wine a totally particular character that distinguishes it and makes it unique and an expression of its territory: the volume and the feelings of sweetness that come from the withering technique are perfectly balanced by this feeling of freshness and by the acidity that makes it delicate, elegant, persistent and not at all cloying. Process currently the company comprises a total area of thirty hectares, of which twenty-nine are cultivated with vineyard, at an altitude that ranges from 150 to 300 meters, with Eastern exposure. The company makes wine only from autochthonous grapes (Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara) originating from its own vineyards. In agriculture we pay great attention to the safeguard and respect for the environment convinced as we are of the fact that future generations will have to live off the cultivation of these lands: for years we have discontinued the use, which is unfortunately widespread, of herbicides to clear weeds, and of polluting and highly toxic pesticides and anticryptogamic agents, for the preservation of the micro-flora of the land, of the water tables and in general directly or indirectly for the safeguard of mans health. Starting in 1990 all the dry walls (marogne) have been restored, preferring the terracing solution, which guarantees an optimal exposure, to easier and economical excavation solutions which are nowadays feasible thanks to the great progresses in the mechanical field (powerful tractors and excavators etc…) which in the past few years have partly changed the morphology of our hills. The love for our land, which we consider unique and incomparable, is shared by all the members of our family.