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Due east of Verona in northeast Italy’s Veneto region, Tenuta Santa Maria comprises a model 50-acre wine estate attached to an imposing medieval farmhouse. The property, which lies close to the ruins of an ancient temple once dedicated to the Roman god Mercury, is today owned and managed Gaetano Bertani, patriarch of one of the most celebrated families in Veneto winemaking, assisted by his sons, Giovanni and Guglielmo. Despite its historic past, Tenuta Santa Maria is a decidedly modern estate when it comes to winemaking.

The estate, 22 acres in all, has three vineyards dedicated to Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay. The winery’s symbol, the Roman millstone found on the label, dates back to the winery’s origins and earlier. Members of the 11th Legion’s epic feats in battle earned them individual plots of land, each measuring 800 meters x 800 meters, in this specific neighborhood.

Boundaries of individual plots were marked by milestones, of which the stone in front of Tenuta Santa Maria, now capped by a cross of more recent vintage, is a fine example.

Production Area
Veneto, Italy

Grape Varieties
100% Chardonnay

Vinification
The grapes picked in the first and second part of September go into the press and the must, after being cooled down and left to rest, frees itself from its seeds. 50% ferments in new Allier barriques for about 150 days. The remaining 50% of the must ferments at a controlled temperature in steel containers. The following March, during the new harvest, the wines obtained are assembled and conserved at an ideal temperature for about 6 months. After bottling, the wine undergoes fining for a further 4 months.

Color
Crystal clear, pale-yellow with a slight tinge of green

Bouquet
Intense aroma of fresh fruit with notes of vanilla, pineapple, banana and other citrus fruits

Taste
Excellent and elegantly-refined structure; well-balanced with a delicate and pleasant hint of bitterness.

Alcohol
13.5%

Serving Suggestions
Delicious with light hors-d’oeuvres, pasta and seafood.