A Summer in the Soave Hills with IgersVerona

The story on Instagramers Italia about a day spent among hills, vineyards, and glasses of wine: this is another way to promote a region! Here’s the article…

Report by: Michele Faustini (igers.verona)

On July 23, the Instagrammers who participated in the IgersVerona Instameet in the Monteforte d’Alpone-Soave area were prepared to taste some excellent wine, but not for the climb up to the vineyards themselves.

The Tessari Winery in Brognoligo served, so to speak, as the host of the event: official hashtag#igerswithdots (since Tessari is a very common last name, they added “dots” to the official logo to set themselves apart—hence our “with dots”). The Instagramers who participated in the Instameet were accompanied by family members as they explored the village and the vineyards overlooking it.

The most challenging part was, in fact, the climbs—steep and completely unexpected. But the effort is always worth it, and even though the weather wasn’t on our side, the view certainly was: the volcanic soils of Soave looked even greener and more lava-like against the gray sky. On both sides, row after row of grapevines stretched out across terraced hillsides.

Cornelia, the family member who accompanied us during this part of the Instameet, explained to the participants the family’s history, how the winery came to be, and the fundamental choices that continue to guide it today.

What sets Tessari Winery’s winemaking apart is its choice of a single grape variety for its wines: Garganega. While other wines are the result of blends of multiple grape varieties, the Tessaris have chosen to remain faithful to the indigenous character of Soave. It is the magic of the winemaking and drying process that transforms Garganega into the four wines produced by Tessari.

The first, the Brut, was served to the participants at a long table set up in the middle of the estate’s vineyards, overlooking Brognoligo and Monteforte d’Alpone. There, two other family members joined the Instagramers to discuss important developments in the cultivation and care of the grape varieties introduced in recent years, such as the transition from the Veronese to the Trentino planting system. They also discussed new harvesting techniques, the effects of which can be seen in the drying process and the yield of the grapes.

The rain forced everyone to head back to the winery through the vineyards. Once inside the winery, Cornelia showed us the grape processing area, where—by design— the grapes are not processed in oak barrels but in aluminum silos. In fact, thanks to its properties, aluminum does not impart any flavor to the wine, allowing it to fully express its natural aroma.

After a brief explanation of the technical timeline and the drying process in the special chamber, the Tessari family treated the Instagramers to a table full of local products, accompanied by a tasting of the winery’s three other wines: Grisela, Bine Longhe, and Recioto. All strictly 100% Garganega.

Here’s an interesting fact: Recioto gets its name from the “recie” (ears), which are the parts of the grape cluster most exposed to the sun. And don’t forget to pair it with Reciotina, a local dessert made of shortcrust pastry and dried fruit. A true delight.