Armando Castagnedi's guest appearances

Armando Castagnedi

Wine Podcast: The Honest Pour with John Lenart

Wine Soundtrack -  International

Steve Matthiasson

Eben Sadie

Giovanni Poggiali

Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga

Andy Erickson

Michael Cruse

Cristiana Tiberio

Matt Crafton

Mike Dunn

Erica Crawford

Alex Ruiz

Stuart Smith

Paul Hobbs

Norman Hardie

Josh Phelps

OwlTail

Tenuta Sant’Antonio is located in eastern stretches of Valpolicella, where several new, exciting, and innovative wineries have been established in recent decades. Here, soils have a higher component of calcium carbonate, which imparts a higher acidity and bolder cherry fruit character to the wines. Antonio Castagnedi was a winegrower and one of the founding members of the cooperative winery in the Illasi Valley of eastern Valpolicella in the late 20th century.  He left 50 acres of vineyards to his four sons Armando, Tiziano, Paolo, and Massimo. The brothers worked as consultants for other wine estates in Italy and continued to grow grapes on their inherited land in Colognola ai Colli, but had bigger dreams. In 1989, they took the next step, buying another 75 acres of top-quality vineyard land on the high terrain of Monti Garbi (also in eastern Valpolicella) and making the leap into wine production as a family, against their father’s wishes. The first vintage of Tenuta Sant’Antonio came in 1995. Tenuta Sant’Antonio Valpolicellas are made from 100% estate-grown, organically farmed fruit from the Illasi Valley and Monti Garbi.With their considerable combined winegrowing experience, the Castagnedi brothers devote meticulous attention to their high-density, low-yield vineyards to provide grapes of such exceptional quality that they require minimal intervention during winemaking. At harvest time, the grapes for Amarone are harvested on a first pass through the vineyards, and those for the regular Valpolicella are harvested on the second pass. In this way, the basic Valpolicella gets a portion of the best grapes and is an exceptional value for the price. Also, because the Amarone is harvested earlier, the grapes’ sugar level is lower, so the alcohol level of the Amarone is not excessive. This strategy also dictates that Tenuta Sant’Antonio makes Amarone only in years when the overall harvest quality is high enough to support making the full Valpolicella lineup.

Tenuta Sant’Antonio is located in eastern stretches of Valpolicella, where several new, exciting, and innovative wineries have been established in recent decades. Here, soils have a higher component of calcium carbonate, which imparts a higher acidity and bolder cherry fruit character to the wines. <br/><br/>Antonio Castagnedi was a winegrower and one of the founding members of the cooperative winery in the Illasi Valley of eastern Valpolicella in the late 20th century.  He left 50 acres of vineyards to his four sons Armando, Tiziano, Paolo, and Massimo. The brothers worked as consultants for other wine estates in Italy and continued to grow grapes on their inherited land in Colognola ai Colli, but had bigger dreams. In 1989, they took the next step, buying another 75 acres of top-quality vineyard land on the high terrain of Monti Garbi (also in eastern Valpolicella) and making the leap into wine production as a family, against their father’s wishes. The first vintage of Tenuta Sant’Antonio came in 1995. <br/>Tenuta Sant’Antonio Valpolicellas are made from 100% estate-grown, organically farmed fruit from the Illasi Valley and Monti Garbi.<br/>With their considerable combined winegrowing experience, the Castagnedi brothers devote meticulous attention to their high-density, low-yield vineyards to provide grapes of such exceptional quality that they require minimal intervention during winemaking. At harvest time, the grapes for Amarone are harvested on a first pass through the vineyards, and those for the regular Valpolicella are harvested on the second pass. In this way, the basic Valpolicella gets a portion of the best grapes and is an exceptional value for the price. Also, because the Amarone is harvested earlier, the grapes’ sugar level is lower, so the alcohol level of the Amarone is not excessive. This strategy also dictates that Tenuta Sant’Antonio makes Amarone only in years when the overall harvest quality is high enough to support making the full Valpolicella lineup.

Italy -Tenuta Sant'Antonio - Armando Castagnedi

Often times makers of wines from classic, old world regions create wine in a style that demands aging in order for it to not only appreciate full potential, but in many cases to be even remotely drinkable.  Because of advancements in both farming and wine making, today, creating making a wine that is both age-worthy yet approachable and enjoyable to drink at a young age is a possibility.  Staunch traditionalists sometimes decry these modern styles as varying too far from the style of wine that a specific region is known for. But thank goodness for forward thinking producers like the brothers Castagnedi of  Tenuta Sant'Antonio. These four siblings come from generations of grape growers, yet, have only been making wine for the past few decades. Today, they are making some delicious wines from Valpolicella. Like may producers of the region they produce Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Amarone. Their Amarones are made in the modern style which drink well now, yet will age and improve for decades to come. I sat down with Armando Castagnedi to talk about the complex nature of wine making in Valpolicella, and what makes their modern approach to Amarone so special.

Ep. 43 Armando Castagnedi, Owner Tenuta Sant'Antonio