Monte Dall’ Ora: A Quiet Revolution in the Heart of the Valpolicella Wine Region of Italy
How one couple quietly changed the course of Amarone
Jan de Weerd - Spoken Wines
This will hide itself!
Monte Dall’ Ora: A Quiet Revolution in the Heart of the Valpolicella Wine Region of Italy
How one couple quietly changed the course of Amarone
Sometimes, a love story plants its roots not in grand gestures, but in quiet conviction. High on a ridge in Valpolicella, amidst limestone terraces overgrown with shrubs, trees and an abandoned vineyard, Carlo Venturini proposed to Alessandra Zantedeschi. She said yes. Not just to him, but to the land — to the daunting idea of clearing the land, of starting something from scratch, of growing wine their way. They had no investors, no polished winery, no blueprint. Just six hectares of land, and a dream that felt more like a calling.
That was 1995 and this is a story of a quiet resistance, not in rebellion, but in reverence. Growing grapes and crafting wine in a way that proves that less can be infinitely more.
A Quiet Conviction For Over 25 Years
“Biodynamics is the only way we know,” Alessandra tells us over homemade pasta. In a region often dominated by stylized, powerful Amarone wines that aim to impress, Monte Dall’ Ora has always spoken in a different voice. At first, many didn’t want to hear it. “They thought we were strange,” she says. “Too different.”
Back then, the word “biodynamic” was barely a whisper in Valpolicella. There was no community, no guidebook. So they turned to friends in France, and like-minded growers in other parts of Italy. “We pursue connection and balance. Between vine and soil and vine and man,” Carlo explained. They were outliers for a long time. But now? That quiet way of farming is starting to sound like the future for many others.
“Biodynamics is the only way we know,” explained Alessandra. Demeter certifies bio-dynamic production.
Capturing the Ora of the Monte
The vineyards at Monte Dall’ Ora (Hill of the Wind) are perched on one of Valpolicella’s five iconic ridges — geological fingers that descend from the Lessini Mountains. Their soils are rich in iron and limestone, porous enough to pull the vine roots deep into the story of the land.
Carlo farms only native grapes: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara, Oseleta, Dindarella. Some are nearly forgotten. He trains them in the traditional Pergola style allowing the wind to come underneath the vines, while the leaves form a canopy to protect the grapes from the sun above. “In the Guyot style,” he tells us, “the bunches get big and prone to disease. Pergola allows space, breath, light — and smaller, more expressive fruit.”
Soft soils full of activity, grasses and flowering plants in between the rows of vines. Olive trees, cherry trees and native weeping willows are dotted throughout the vineyard. The biodiversity in this microcosm is a philosophy of where all living matter is interconnected and through it gain strength to protect the vines and bring a voice to the wine.
“When there’s equilibrium in the vineyard,” Carlo says, “there is balance in the cellar.”
The 'Pergula' trellis system catches the wind and protects from the sun.
Wines that Whisper Elegance
Monte Dall’ Ora wines do not overpower. They’re composed like chamber music: intimate, elegant, and lingering. But to understand their Amarone, we have to first explain what Amarone is. Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy’s most iconic and powerful red wines — and it can only be made in the Valpolicella region. What makes it so distinctive is the ancient appassimento method that dates back to the time of the Romans: after harvest, the grapes are carefully laid out on wooden racks and dried for months. This slow dehydration concentrates the sugars and flavors, creating rich, intense wines with deep complexity. Amarone is not just wine — it is time, transformed.
Yet while many producers chase Amarone’s potential for richness and power, Monte Dall’ Ora has chosen a different path.
Amarone ‘Stropa’ is a revelation of 10 years in the making, aged in large oak barrels for 5 years and then in bottle for the remainder of time. Complex elegance of dried cherry and plum, saddle leather, cacao, and a haunting mineral length. It doesn't demand your attention; it earns it slowly.
Recioto della Valpolicella ’Saint Ulderico’ is the sweet, richer version of Amarone. The wine is also made from a blend of dried grapes but fermentation is stopped early to maintain residual sugars. This highly regarded dessert wine has layers of intense dried fruit, velvety texture, brightness without being overly sweet.
Valpolicella Classico Superiore ‘Camporenzo’, from a higher-elevation vineyard above San Giorgio, is bright, taut, and deeply aromatic — proof that Valpolicella wine doesn’t need to hide behind weight to have substance.
Each wine carries the quiet signature of Monte Dall’ Ora, carefully revealing themselves slowly — and to stay with you.
Here is a link to Monte Dall' Ora's website to learn more and an opportunity to experience some of their wines: www.montedallora.com
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