Investing in history and territories: Caviro brings Gerardo Cesari back to the center of Valpolicella

Wine production is 3.5 million bottles (which will soon become 4), and a future under the sign of Valpolicella wines. The Caviro Cooperative Group, one of the largest players in Italian wine, has invested 20 million euros to build a new winery for the subsidiary company, Gerardo Cesari, a historic producer, giving them, in Fumane, in the Valpolicella Classica district, a proper “House”.
“We wanted to make this important investment in order to give an image and roots in the territory to Gerardo Cesari”, explained SimonPietro Felice, GM of Caviro, to WineNews. He further explained that when Caviro acquired the winery in 2014, drying, winemaking and bottling, thanks to waivers, took place outside the area. “Therefore, such an important company, counting 85 years of history and 50 years of Amarone behind it”, continued Felice, “absolutely had to be in the heart of Valpolicella. We have consequently decided to sell the winery in Quinzano d'Oglio, in Brescia, where the production cycle after the grape harvest was previously carried out, and to reallocate all production here. We believe that Cesari is one of the 10 major brands of Amarone, and which 5 consecutive years at “Opera Wine” confirms this (tasting selections of the most prestigious Italian wineries, signed by the USA magazine “Wine Spectator”, the traditional Anteprima [preview] by Vinitaly in Verona, ed.), and that its historical significance should be, unquestionably, emphasized when welcoming customers to Valpolicella”.
Currently, Venetian wines are produced in the modern winery surrounded by vineyards, including, in addition to Valpolicella, Lugana and Bardolino wines. We will focus all production activities at the Fumane winery, which instead had been spread out at various sites. The historic headquarters of Cesari, in Cavaion Veronese, on the other hand, will be dedicated to refining the three wines, Amarone, Ripasso and Corvina in Purity Jèma, and will continue to welcome the numerous wine tourists that come to visit, thanks to the nearness of Lake Garda. “Cesari produces only Venetian wines, 70% of which come from Valpolicella”, Felice specified, “and of these, to date, Amarone represents 50%, while the percentages of Ripasso and Valpolicella vary according to market demands. However, due to the limited production capacity of the company, over time, Amarone, Ripasso and Valpolicella will represent the total amount”.
The vineyards for the production of Valpolicella wines - owned by proprietors and historical vine growers, but managed directly by the winery technicians - are found in the classic areas, primarily in San Pietro in Cariano, Castelrotto and Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella.
The modern design of the winery, immersed in the vineyards, also has a cutting-edge grape drying room, equipped with the most advanced moisture control technologies that channel the natural air of the valley to maximize the quality of drying the grapes. Additionally, there is an innovative winemaking cellar and an underground storage room, which can accommodate up to 5 vintages of Amarone. The rooftops, as is the style of the Caviro Group, are covered with photovoltaic panels that produce a good portion, but not all, the energy needed to manage the winery, and especially the drying room that is one of the largest in Valpolicella, where the grapes destined to become Amarone rest in 55.000 crates. On the other hand, the Caviro Cooperative Group produces 200% of the energy consumed and therefore they are entitled to green certificates. There is also the bottling warehouse, and two tasting rooms, as well as an elegant wine shop, which has been designed and furnished with characteristic elements recalling the territory, such as semicircular wood and iron showcases, which bring to mind the Arena of Verona. The aim of the investment was for the territory as well as for the longtime exports of Gerardo Cesari’s products. The company was founded in 1936, expressing the desire and ambition to produce wines capable of competing with the great red wines from around the world. In 1973, Cesari exported the first classic Amarone, vintage 1971, to the United States, while today its wines have reached more than 51 countries.
“We have always been on the markets in Canada and the United States, which are the first and second destinations of Cesari wines”, commented Felice. “In the past few years, and thanks to the story of this important investment, we have also increased our presence on the markets in China and Japan. Cesari’s total turnover has increased from 1-2% to 10%, and it is now worth 1.8 million euros. Truthfulness and insights about wines and their production territories is very important for Asians, in general. In particular, Chinese importers are very exacting about these aspects, and last week, as soon as it was possible to travel, they were the first to come visit us”.
The value of Caviro’s multi million euro investment takes on quite a special significance in this time of uncertainty, and it represents “an act of confidence towards the future, the territory and the people”, to quote the words of Carlo Dalmonte, president of the Caviro Group. He also emphasized that this extremely important financial commitment was aimed at creating a cutting-edge project perfectly integrated into the classic Valpolicella, positioning the quality of Cesari signed products in total respect of resources and the environment, cornerstones of Caviro’s philosophy.
“A large winery, which has many members in various production territories that have decided to invest in other areas, carried out the investment”, underlined Giorgio Mercuri, Chairman of the Italian Cooperative Alliance, and “this indicates great generosity towards other winemakers as well as being aware that the more of us there are, the more we stay together and the stronger we become to be able to stay on the market. This investment, characterized by environmental and social sustainability, has the extraordinary capability of conversing with thousands of winegrowers and giving a future to those who have decided to continue to grow grapes in the territories, and to the next generations. And Caviro, which is the leading Italian Cooperative that is strong on the National, and expanding on the International market, can easily achieve this goal”.
“The new Fumane Winery”, commented the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agricultural Policies (assigned to wine), Gian Marco Centinaio, “combines tradition and innovation. It is an example of how to combine environmental sustainability with economic sustainability, while paying close attention to the landscape from an aesthetic and architectural point of view. This important investment will definitely consolidate Cesari’s position in Italy and abroad, helping to promote Made in Italy quality around the world as well as making the fine wines of Verona and Valpolicella more and more well known everywhere. At the same time, it also represents a new opportunity for occupation and the related activities in the territory”.