Your family has a long tradition in wine making. Can you tell us something about the origins of the business?

I represent the fourth generation of winegrowers: my great-grandfather, my grandfather and my father all worked in the wine industry.

When I was a child, I went with my maternal grandfather – also a winemaker – to the vineyard, where he taught me how to taste the grapes and evaluate their ripening, in order to choose the exact day of harvest. And how nice it was to take part in the harvest, when everything we did was with great brotherhood, always helping each other. I remember the fatigue of the adults, but also the conviviality and the pleasure of working together. 

Then you came along. What were your difficulties in the beginning and what do you find satisfying today?

My first big challenge was to create the structure of my company. Life led me to start from scratch and start over with the vineyards of my maternal grandfather. I preferred to undertake a project of my own that focused on high quality grapes and the whole production process. That’s how Corte Quaiara was born, starting from nothing while I was starting to vinify my first wine inside a garage. It was hard to find the funding, but I did,  and thankfully, I was able to make the investments I needed to puruse a higher level of product.

I have had many satisfactions, from the first bottle that entered the market in 2015, to export to the most important foreign markets. Today I work with high-level clients, which is exactly what I set out to do in the beginning. 

As we speak, Giovanni lets slip a curious anecdote  or two that we quickly write down.

He tells us that  people from the television show “Striscia la Notizia” went to see him. They looked him up after tasting his wine during dinner at a restaurant. They were so impressed that they decided to do a review of his cellar. Another illustrious visit to Corte Quaiara was from the sommelier of the Georges Blanc restaurant, an authentic institution in Burgundy with three Michelin stars that it has received for forty years.

Do you use traditional or special winemaking methods?

I’m going back to the past with terracotta amphorae (a jar with two handles and a neck), while in the classic method I use long stays on the yeast, up to twelve years. Other methods that I have been satisfied with are spontaneous fermentation and long macerations in contact with the skins. 

Talking to Giovanni we understand that he has a great love for each of his creations, but if he has to choose one to be most proud of, there is no doubt: Pinuàr, a wine made entirely from Pinot Noir, planted years ago by his father in the family vineyards.

Pinot Noir is in fact one of the most valuable grape varieties in the world and in Italy there are few companies that rely on this production. The reason is simple: it is a delicate plant that requires constant care, and is subjected to stress with every change in temperature or humidity. Growing it – especially with the unpredictable climate of recent years – is a huge challenge.

We are intrigued by the Oseleta wine: tell us all your secrets.

Oseleta is a rare and native grape variety, which belongs to the grape varieties of Valpolicella. It was abandoned in the 1970s and then restored some twenty years later. It is a particular wine, not suitable for everyone, characterized by low yields, high acidity and extreme tannins. I am the only producer who makes pure wine without drying, because I like to focus on the elegance of the taste. I consider it the “Pinot Nero” of Valpolicella.

We know that Giovanni has received several awards, both personal and corporate,  such as the title of Chevalier du Tastevin, a collaboration with Slow Food, the review in the Slow Wine guide, not to mention the review of his Pinuàr by Andreas Larsson, a global sommelier giant. He is also working on the reintroduction of purity of the very rare La Quaiara grape, aiming at very high quality levels.

There would be enough reasons to stop the interview and ask him to open a bottle immediately, but we are not easily persuaded and so we continue to ask questions, undaunted.

Why should we taste your wines? Give us three good reasons.

First of all, because with Corte Quaiara you touch craftsmanship: my wines are in fact produced in the vineyard, not in the cellar.

Secondly, you can taste the history. A story that stems from a long family tradition and continues thanks to carefully selected suppliers, the studies of the agronomist and the hard work of the grape harvesters.

Finally, every vintage is a story in itself and must be interpreted, because while the vineyard and the winemaking techniques are the same, temperatures, rainfall and humidity vary. Our ability is to always get the best out of each harvest, knowing how to interpret all the variables correctly. 

What is your secret wish that you hope comes true?

I would like to sell my wine in the most prominent and celebrated stores in the world, but even that is not enough for me. My real dream would be to see my bottles locked  in those stores with a padlock, the symbol of luxury and excellence that shows my wines are so sought after.

I would like my bottles to become a real investment for those who buy them and keep them for the future. I’m working hard so that my clients can see their value grow significantly over time.