The Begnoni Family is owner of Santa Sofia’s winery since 1967.
The company was one of the first wineries to produce Amarone, starting with vintage 1964.
Today we can find among their most important wines three Amarone, one Ripasso, Recioto and  Valpolicella Classico Superiore Montegradella. A blend of 70% Corvina and Corvinone and 30% Rondinella.
To produce this classic Valpolicella, the grapes are left to dry naturally and slowly for 40-45 days before pressing. After the fermentation they proceed with an ageing of 12 months both in tonneaux and big barrels of Slavonian oak.
Luciano Begnoni confesses that he wants to experiment, with the Montegradella, a production without dry grapes. “We want more freshness and elegance, as we want it for the Valpolicella Classico, because in this way we can express better our terroir”.
Corvina has a leading role, but Corvinone and Rondinella are not to understimate.
“All three of them tell us about our identity, but at the same time they bring freshness and acidity, and at the same elegance, embodying a modern style”.
Once more the Valpolicella Superiore is a minor lead among the selection of the best wines.
“But it has been growing during the last few years. It is necessary a more focused production, a selection of grapes that are assigned to Valpolicella, instead of using what you don’t want for Amarone”.
We never wanted to follow, says Begnoni, the trend to produce wines with always more and more power: “this is true for Amarone as for Ripasso and Valpolicella Classico. Since the very first day my father cared to produce Amarone with more drinkability and lightness. Nobody appreciates Amarone with 16, 17 or 18% alcohol. A gastronomic Amarone needs to be always elegant”.