Winery Overview
Immersed in the winemaking traditions of the Valpantena and Valpolicella areas of Veneto, the Tezza family has been dedicated to working in wine for three generations. Grandparents Giovanni and Virginia launched the family vineyard operation in 1960, and their children, Paolo, Giuseppe, and Renzo carried the family into winemaking. From 1998 on, the Tezza winery has been owned and operated by cousins Flavio, Vanio, and Federico. The Valpantena, a sub-zone of Valpolicella, is a valley that lies between Lake Garda and the arc of the Alps. It forms the link between the city of Verona and the Lessina mountains. Its fortunate location gives the Valpantena a uniquely temperate climate suited to plants that are more typical of Mediterranean climates, such as grapevines, olive trees, and cypress trees. According to the historian Caliari, its name means “Valley of the gods,” an explanation accredited by the presence of an underground Roman temple still visible today, the Pantheon di Santa Maria in Stelle. Valpolicella is divided into three subzones: Classica (wines produced int his area can be called ‘Classico’), Valpantena (wines produced in this area can be called ‘Della Valpantena), and Orientale (wines produced in this area are called ‘Della Valpantena’ only). Valpantena is the smallest area of the appellation at 7 miles long and 1.8 miles wide. The soils are rich in calcareous and marne stones which are rich in iron resulting in minerality and spice in the wines. The Tezza vineyards extend about 70 acres in Valpantena, through the townlands of Poiano, Nesente and Sezano. A replanting program began in 1998 and the vineyards now adhere to the strictest Reg. UE 834/2007 organic farming protocols. Conventional chemical fertilizers, weed killers and anti-parasite products have been replaced by non-invasive natural methods and techniques such as integrated pest management, disruption of the reproductive cycles of parasites and mechanical removal of weeds, with total respect for the environment. Drying out the grapes is a vital step in making Amarone. In the past, special grape-drying halls were built in precise positions where the humidity and temperature conditions were optimal. Today, thanks to modern technology, every aspect of the drying process can be controlled. The Tezza winery boasts a new drying hall with controlled temperature and humidity levels that ensure ideal conditions for drying the grapes destined for use in Amarone wines. Tezza wines are fermented in the winery’s large steel vats, which are equipped with modern technologies that enable automatic temperature control. The délestage method (a system for pouring and re-filling) is used which allows gentle extraction of the polyphenols from the skins by pumping the must over the cap of grape skins. The barrel hall is the heart of the winery, where the wines are left to mature in wooden barrels before being bottled. Tezza wines are matured in either 750l barrels in French and Slavonian oak or 225l barrels in French oak. Beside the barrel hall is the old cellar, the "inner sanctum" of the Tezza winery. This cellar is closely guarded, as the most precious wines from the best years are kept here. From planting the vines in the family vineyards to looking after the grapes, harvesting, making the wine and bottling: every step of the production cycle is carried out within the winery. With the whole production chain onsite, the Tezza winery is unique in its authenticity and transparency. Nothing is sourced externally, so the family can always guarantee the quality of the wines.