Last November 12, Costa Arènte hosted the first edition of “Microcosmo Valpantena”, a collaborative project by Rete Valpantena. The event was aimed at promoting the region by exploring its diverse facets and delving into its technical, socio-economic, historical and cultural aspects. Thanks to the partnership with Wine2Wine, the event presented the project to an international audience through a roundtable discussion that explored the origin, mission, and activities of the network. This was followed by a comparative masterclass that analyzed the differences and similarities between the Classico and Valpantena subzones within the Valpolicella Doc.
“The main objective of Rete Valpantena is to highlight and promote this area, one boasting an extraordinary winemaking history and significant potential for development. We aim to enhance its distinctive features: a unique climate combined with manual labor in the fields and in the cellar, the search for lost grape varieties, and the morphological characteristics of the territory, which make it a true oenological uniqueness. Working together within a varied network means combining efforts to achieve a common goal: to develop the market in which we operate. We are all competitors, certainly, but by working together, operating as a group, we can go further, communicate on multiple levels, and more easily promote our territory. Our will is that this first edition of Microcosmo Valpantena stimulates a further curiosity about this area, fostering the creation of new synergies and the entry of other members.” says Igor Boccardo, CEO of Leone Alato.
“When we presented the project to Stevie Kim, she and her team were enthusiastic and ready to support us in organizing Microcosmo Valpantena. For Rete Valpantena, it was an exceptional opportunity to gain visibility, share the story of a territory and present a collaborative project to an audience made up of international opinion leaders. This sense of community is what has won them over and has been conveyed to all our guests.” says Antonella Imborgia, Marketing & Communication Manager of Le Tenute del Leone Alato.
Valpantena – also known as the “valley of the gods” – rises from the city of Verona towards the Lessini Mountains, and serves as a division between Valpolicella Classica and its extended area. A captivating tapestry of history, art and spirituality intertwines with a stretch of vineyards and olive groves that are deeply rooted in the area’s rural culture. The valley is part of the Valpolicella wine district and has been rediscovered and valued only in the last 20-30 years, thanks to a group of historic wineries that proudly claim the Valpantena sub-designation on their labels. Its morphological characteristics yield wines with pronounced elegance and acidity, vibrant and naturally devoid of concentration.
The event, organized in collaboration with Wine2Wine, introduces Rete Valpantena to international stakeholders
Rete Valpantena was established in June 2023 as a network for the enhancement of the eponymous valley. Its mission is to promote the territory’s identity as well as the human and cultural heritage in all its richness. The collaboration stemmed from the encounter of seven visionary entrepreneurs who dwell in Valpantena (Costa Arènte, Agricola Pernigo, Cantine Bertani, La Collina dei Ciliegi, Ripa della Volta and Ristorante La Cru – Villa Balis Crema). They decided to pool resources and devise a medium-to-long-term strategy based on coopetition (cooperation among competitors), creating synergies among all the entities involved in the project for the virtuous development of agricultural, artisanal, productive, enogastronomic and touristic excellences.
