Venturini Baldini

Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Venturini Baldini was founded in 1976 on an historic 16th century estate in the hills between Parma and Reggio Emilia, the heartland of Lambrusco. Of their 135 hectares, only 30 hectares are vineyards, the remainder being left as wild woods and pastures that buzz with life and biodiversity. With that living land pushing up gorgeous fruit, owner Julia Prestia is fully invested in revealing the next layer of quality Lambrusco.

Overseeing the wines since 2015 is Carlo Ferrini, one of Italy’s best-known winemakers, awarded Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2007. His professional career spans more than 40 years working with over three dozen estates throughout the peninsula, from Trentino to Sicily, including Petrolo, Sapaio, Brancaia, Barone Ricasoli, and Donnafugata. Earlier this year Venturini announced Ferrini’s retirement from the estate and his replacement by the equally famed Riccardo Cotarella, widely considered Italy’s number one Enologist at present, president of Assoenologi and world co-president of the Union Internationale des Enologues, and also head of the wine program at another one of Vino al Vino’s portfolio producers, Il Palagio.

As one expects from great sparkling wine farming, Venturini’s vines are planted among the south facing slopes of their sandy clay foothills that roll from 300-400m above sea level with excellent drainage and a wide diurnal temperature. Moreover, Venturini was among the first in the region to obtain organic certification (1976). Their name has been synonymous with the highest quality Lambrusco for decades now. We are so excited to bring their gorgeous wines to Alberta.

In addition to the plethora of Lambrusco varieties (including Sorbara, Grasparossa and Salamino) Venturini Baldini also grows Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, Pinot Nero, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Grigio. Their range spans from entry level crushable bubbles fermented in the charmat method through to traditional method, hand riddled, hand disgorged wines that press the envelope for the region, showing complexity and character unique to Emilia-Romagna’s terroir. If you want to know more about the characteristics of this area you can take a look at www.vinerra.com