ITALIAN WINE LEGEND, EDOARDO VALENTINI, REMEMBERED

He went without a clamor, in silence, with the same sober elegance that had always distinguished him. Edoardo Valentini, a winemaker by trade, was, without a doubt, one of the most extraordinary personalities that the Italian wine world has ever had.

As he loved to define himself, a tried and true “artisan” of the sector, Valentini created a new, yet simultaneously ancient way of conceiving wine, the land, and its relation with man. An almost symbiotic relationship, obtained through daily, rigorous, almost obsessive labor. It was such an innovative idea at the time that a school of his thought was created at Loreto Aprutino in the province of Pescara.
The Abruzzo region owes much to this man and, in fact, today, there is a reliable group of his followers on the forefront in the battle for quality, one of Valentini’s claim’s to fame in the wine world.

It was the 1950’s when the young Valentini decided to start working his agricultural estate, which spanned over 200 hectares, 64 of which were covered in vineyards and another 50 with olive orchards. The vines were Trebbiano, a variety that “il Nostro” managed to turn into one of the leading protagonists of the wine world, along with Montepulciano and Cerasuolo.

And it was precisely this extraordinary Trebbiano that proved its absolute longevity during the vertical tasting event held at the latest Vinitaly exposition.
Magnificent and very personalized wines that over the years have pushed sector workers, primarily journalists and producers, to try to understand what exactly the secret is behind them. Myths have been created, like the one that recounts how Valentini suggested to one overly curious and insistent producer to go read the Pre-Socratic philosophers if he really wants to understand his productive philosophy.
But, enough, we do not want to offend a personality who was notorious for hating praise and compliments. Only a sincere hug to the family and son Francesco Paolo, who, from now on, will be expected to take on the difficult task of taking over the estate (though he had already started, he had always been under his father’s supervision until now).

Farewell Valentini, with hopes that the earth is light since you loved it so.

Antonio Boco