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The small Monte dei Ragni winery is a true testament to the long wine tradition of five generations of the Ragno family, and to the unique skills of Zeno Zignoli – a real expert in the production of excellent Valpolicella, who has never put marketing strategies before quality and top-notch cultivation techniques.
Monte dei Ragni has, in fact, become a “cult” brand for enthusiasts, while its legendary Amarore is ranked among the five best in Valpolicella.

Monte dei Ragni takes its name from a nineteenth-century real estate registry which speaks of a small portion of land on a ridge, in the municipality of Fumane, in the heart of the Valpolicella Classica area. It is only 20-acre wide, with only 5 used as vineyards: still, the latter prove ideal for this purpose, interspersed with several dry stone walls (the “marogne”), with a typical pergola layout that provides perfect insulation and cultivation.

Zeno Zignoli cultivates his vineyards with true passion and only one horse for, with dedicated determination and a deep love for the territory; he never uses any chemical or synthetic aids, while thoroughly respecting the local biodiversity.
Among the vineyards, olive trees, cereals, fruit trees and vegetables grow as well, enriching the landscape with truly remarkable biodiversity.

Wines are eventually put on sale 10 years after the harvest: it’s an enormous effort for such a small winery, but the true value added to utmost respect for wine and consumers.
Zignoli does not follow any mere marketing logic: if the season was not that good, he wouldn’t push the vineyard, but rather cultivate something else.

The centuries-old plants of the company are entrusted to the care of Stefano Lorenzi, a SIA (Italian Society of Arboriculture) certified arborist and tree-climber SIA, and also a professional sommelier from the AIS (Italian Sommelier Association).

Zeno Zignoli is a true icon on Monte dei Ragni. In his 6 acres of vineyards in Marega (Fumane), Valpolicella di Recioto di Ripasso and Amarone grapes are obtained featuring the highest levels of quality and natural, traditional drying. Soft pressing, the wise use of woods for refinement, and an almost total lack of mechanical pumping are the key features of this highly appreciated grape managing process. Only healthy grapes and exceptional wines can be found here, while no more than 6. 000 bottles are usually produced each year.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)