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Colli Berici: a hidden gem in the Veneto region
Sitting amid the undulating Berici hills of the Veneto region, Consorzio Colli Berici e Vicenza produces balanced wines which reflect the unique landscape from which they are created.
The wines of the Consorzio Colli Berici e Vicenza are a tale of unexplored places.
The Consortium for the Protection of Berici Hills and Vicenza Wines has been at work since 2011 when its two individual consortium bodies — Consorzio Tutela Vini Colli Berici DOC and Consorzio Tutela Vini Vicenza DOC — came together.
Since then the Consortium has worked to protect, enhance and improve the production and sale of the wines of both the Colli Berici and Vicenza denominations, covering 25 private wineries and three cooperatives, representing 94.7% of the DOC Colli Berici production and 99% of the DOC Vicenza production. These wines deserve not to be overlooked, with DOC Colli Berici and DOC Vicenza producing 1,611,314 and 554,000 bottles in 2022 respectively.
Seventeen wines are produced under the discipline of the DOC brand. The reds include: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Rosso, Tai Rosso. Whites, as well as classic method Spumante and Charmat, include Bianco, Chardonnay, Garganega, Manzoni Bianco, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon.
The wines are a direct expression of the land from which they come, in part because of a Wine Production Zoning Project implemented by the Protection Consortium and the Veneto Region in 2002-2005.
The purpose of the project was to improve production by linking it more strongly to the region, taking advantage of the intrinsic vocations of its different soils. All of this took place through the study and analysis of the characteristics of the vineyard and its environment, and led to the successful identification of the most appropriate combinations of wine varieties to soil types.
An undulating formation that originated about 60 million years ago, the geo-morphological elements of the Berici Hills confirm the superior wine growing vocation of the area.
The chalky nature of the rocks that have evolved in a terrain with red clays give the wines richness and body, providing structure, while volcanic soils enhance the subtlety of flavours and fragrances.
The hills which make this region unique also sit at an altitude which protects them from fogs and late frosts, enhancing the anthocyanins and polyphenols present in its wines.
The presence of sinkholes, and consequently karst, allows a supply of water to be available to supplement the limited rainfall in the area.
It is not just what is beneath the soil which makes this place unique. The Berici Hills and Vicenza DOC, given the density of Palladian and Palladian-style villas present in the region, can be allegorically considered the Palladian Vineyards.
There are splendid views of the surrounding plains dotted with Palladian Villas, whose interiors often present decorative elements realised in Berici Stone or with Nanto Stone, making them a true part of the landscape, and adding to the richness of the land and its history.
Colli Berici DOC Carmenere ‘Carminum’ 2019
- Producer: Inama
- Region: Veneto
- Country: Italy
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenère
- Abv: 13.5%
- Vintage: 2019
- Closure: Cork
- Approx. retail price: £23.00
- Medal: Master – Global Masters Carmenère Tasting 2023
Clean and elegant with plenty of mocha and dark chocolate, dark plums and pomegranate, summer pudding, tomato leaf too, then some grainy tannins, lively acidity, and warm alcohol. A mid-weight, attractive and persistent wine, with juicy fruit, along with some spicy and meaty notes on the finish.
Colli Berici DOC Carmenere Riserva 2018
- Producer: Puntozero
- Region: Veneto
- Country: Italy
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenère
- Abv: 14.5%
- Vintage: 2019
- Closure: Cork
- Approx. retail price: £30.00
- Medal: Gold – Global Masters Carmenère Tasting 2023
Red berry and celery leaf aromatics, followed by gently jammy notes on the palate, with some creamy chocolate oak, vanilla and cedar, firm dry tannin, and a cigar box finish, with a hint of green bean and then lingering pure plum and cherry fruit characters – and a touch of warmth. Persistent, fine and structured, and while cool-tasting and easy to drink, it’s also built for the long term.
Colli Berici DOC Carmenere ‘Calcareo’ 2019
- Producer: Corte Moschina
- Region: Veneto
- Country: Italy
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenère
- Abv: 14%
- Vintage: 2019
- Closure: Cork
- Approx. retail price: £23.00
- Medal: Gold – Global Masters Carmenère Tasting 2023
A deep ruby red with dark chocolate and red berry fruits on the nose, then a palate bursting with cocoa, Morello cherries, cedar-wood and peppery spice. Juicy, mid-weight, with a dry finish, combining grippy tannins and zippy acidity, with a good definition and length.
Colli Berici DOC Carmenere Riserva ‘Oratorio di S.L.’ 2017
- Producer: Inama
- Region: Veneto
- Country: Italy
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenère
- Abv: 12.5%
- Vintage: 2019
- Closure: Cork
- Approx. retail price: £90
- Medal: Gold – Global Masters Carmenère Tasting 2023
Deep ruby, with a hint of garnet on the rim; cream and toast on the nose, with red berry fruits, a touch of tomato leaf, then a vegetal nuance, and some eucalyptus. On the palate, it’s sweet-fruited, with some weight, and while rich, there’s a crisp acidity, firm tannins, and a long finish with notes of balsamic, wet leather, and cigar box.
Colli Berici DOC Carmenere Riserva ‘Foliage’ 2018
- Producer: Cantina Mattiello
- Region: Veneto,
- Country: Italy
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenère
- Abv: 12.5%
- Vintage: 2018
- Closure: Cork
- Approx. retail price: £17.00
- Medal: Bronze – Global Masters Carmenère Tasting 2023
Some bold, upfront black and red berry fruit mixed vanilla oak and taut, dry, chalky tannins, along with balsamic notes and a slightly tart green apple character on the finish.
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