Edoardo Valentini

Valentini is an almost mythological name among Italian wine lovers. Perhaps it has something to do with the aura of mystery around the estate: Edoardo Valentini, a true artisan who made the wines from 1956 until his death in 2006, shunned media contact and refused to speak about the winemaking techniques, beyond the most general terms. His son, Francesco Paolo, continues the methods and traditions set by his father. Or maybe it’s because despite using only trebbiano and montepulciano, grapes usually associated with simple wines, the wines are profound, texturally complex and evocative.

Wine has been made at Valentini since about 1600, but it is only since Edoardo took over in the 1950s that the wines have been bottled under the Valentini name. The estate covers some 60 hectares of vineyards and olive groves, but only the top 10% or so of grapes are used, and the rest go to the local co-op. In some years the entire crop is sold off if the fruit is not up to the stringent Valentini standards. Like his father, Francesco Paolo is reluctant to share details of the winemaking process. However, they can certainly be called tradtionalists. The wines are fermented using only indigenous yeasts in glass-lined concrete and aged in large Slavonian botti. They are bottled unfined and unfiltered and released only when considered ready.

The montepulciano is made only in outstanding vintages – since 2006, only the 2012 vintage has been released. However, it is the trebbiano that really speaks to the magic of this estate. The incredible depth, precision and ageworthiness that Valentini have achieved justifies all the hype. We have managed to secure a tiny allocation of these magnificent wines.