italy-venetofor centuries the name Torre d’Orti on the San Martino Buanalbergo maps indicates a precise area on the hills near the village of Marcellise.

This site with a great view was chosen by the Castello di Montorio as a place to build a watchtower to maintain security from enemies. Centuries later the same spot was utilized by the local farmers for growing olives, grapes and cereals. They created terracing, still visible today.

Recently the Piona family bought the land of the former watchtower, using the historic name for their estate. The land was replanted with vines for the production of Valpolicella wines. The terroir is special in that the red earth typical of Valpolicella classico is combined with white chalk.

This terroir plus the altitude gives the grapes a very low ph. and acidity, creating distinguished and well balanced wines, extremely elegant, suitable for long ageing.

For more information: www.torredorti.com

And Noah he often said to his wife when he sat down to dine, "I don't care where the water goes if it doesn't get into the wine".

G.K. Chesterton(1874–1936)
Wine and Water
The smell of wine, oh how much more delicate, cheerful, gratifying, celestial and delicious it is than that of oil.

Rabelias
Gargantua
Wine gives great pleasure; and every pleasure is of itself a good.  It is a good, unless counterbalanced by evil.

Samuel Johnson
Boswell's Life of Johnson

Wine is the drink of the gods, milk the drink of babies, tea the drink of women, and water the drink of beasts.

John Stuart Blackie