The boys in the cellar: Noemi's Guaite

November 2, 2020
San Mattia

Autumn is back, we’re back.

Visiting the producers is a fixed stop and from time to time we go further and further. We take advantage of the winter season to do continuous training and tighten those relationships that will then bear fruit in our dishes. We leave for Mezzane di Sotto where we find Noemi waiting for us with a big smile and the jeep ready to leave in the direction of the countryside. The adventure begins immediately and without realizing we are already in Via Paradiso. Yes, in Via Paradiso there is the main land called the Guaite. An expanse of neat green vines and an explosion of bunches with full and juicy berries.

Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseletta, Croatina and Cabernet Sauvignon is what is located on the hill. What is certainly easy to notice is the difference of the soil that in a few meters passes from limestone to volcanic giving the same variety a different nourishment.
As soon as we discover the view and in front of us opens the view of the valley on the neighboring countries. If there had been no haze we could have seen Venice. to say that such a magical atmosphere is difficult to breathe often. With a grain always in our mouths and our eyes on the view we get carried away by noemi’s stories. Stories of sacrifice, satisfaction, careful selection and a very united family. We resume our journey to return to the cellar, where everything starts and everything ends. We climb from a small spiral staircase and enter the room of wonders, where the grapes are stacked and left to rest from 3 to 5 months. A huge fan moves from left to right, expiring the process and intoxicating us with the scent of clusters. Once again we are fascinated and fill Noemi with questions.

Penultimate mandatory stage: the winemaking process. We then move from steel to barrels without ever stopping to chat about how everything takes shape and how we get to the bottles that we undead every day. So many times taken by haste we forget about the work that has been done to make them so special. The barrels in which the wine is rested are strictly French and bought by the producer without passing through third parties. Needless to describe the scent and tranquility that you can breathe in the rooms. We end the day with our favorite moment: tasting. It is that moment when in every glass we find the stories told, the stolen anecdotes, the admired views. One thing perhaps little known is that the Pizzighella company was born as an oil mill and then specializes in viticulture, that’s why we start our tasting from the 4 varieties produced: Blend, Casaliva, Grignano, Classico. Fresh bread and cheese make everything tastier, making us forget about wine for a moment! Noemi serves us kindly by continuing to tell. We taste Valpolicella Classico, Superiore, Ripasso, Amarone, Recioto, Rosso Veronese and conclude with Tisbe and Solitario. I mean, let’s try everything. Since Noemi took over the management of the company there have been many changes but certainly one of the most obvious has been that of the change of design. Art lover, Noemi, managed to transmit her passion to all those who came into contact with the cellar. He usually paints his works of art in maxi format and then reproduces them digitally. The product therefore reaches a substantial and aesthetic level of quality. Anyone who comes across these labels cannot forget them!

We end the day like this: with the Le Guaite t-shirt, the mascot named “Kermit” and exaggerated smiles.
Remember that here you can find Valpolicella Classico, Superiore, Amarone and Recioto.
See you at the table!!