A Wine Journey to the Colli Berici
Pt II: Meeting Stefano Inama
Though day three and four were filled with memorable winery visits in the Colli Berici and concluded with a beautiful guided tour of Vicenza, I want to focus on one experience that truly left a lasting impression on me: meeting Stefano Inama, whose deep passion for wine and, more specifically, for the Carmenère grape, was at the heart of everything we encountered that morning as we got to know him, his winemaking philosophy and his fantastic wines.
Enamored with Carmenère, Stefano purchased 12 hectares in Oratorio di San Lorenzo, a secluded valley in the Berici Hills and an ideal spot for the grape to thrive. He planted six hectares in 2002 and expanded with the remaining land in 2009. With around 5,000 vines per vineyard, this is now the largest Carmenère vineyard in Italy—and perhaps in all of Europe. The valley, well sheltered and benefiting from high temperatures, provides the perfect cradle for this late-ripening grape. When we arrived, Stefano was hands-on, out in the fields. Not unusual, as we would later find out.
Inama is fascinating because it spans two territories that are geographically close yet very different: the Soave Classico, known for its mineral-rich white wines, and the Colli Berici, famous for its reds, as I noted in my previous post. After our initial introductions and witnessing the hustle and bustle of the harvest on this particularly hot morning, we made our way to the tasting room, located in the Inama estate’s beautifully restored 16th-century house. The building itself speaks of the family’s long-term commitment to this land, as it was in a state of disrepair when Stefano purchased it and has undergone extensive renovations under the guidance of his wife.
Once settled, Stefano shared his thoughts on the recent weather, remarking about the unusually wet start to the summer in May and June, followed by the scorching temperatures of July. This heat, he said, can be highly detrimental to the quality of the white grapes. Then, without hesitation, he offered a perspective, delivered with a candidness that really struck a chord with me: “Wine, believe it or not, is not that romantic product that people who really aren’t seriously involved in the production of wine make it out to be. I believe that in the coming years, wine will go back to real wine people, not to the wealthy who think they can buy a vineyard in Tuscany and just spend weekends there. Those times will be over.”
Stefano’s wine roots began when his father purchased their first plots in the Soave Classico area in 1965, just ten kilometers northwest of where we were sitting. Stefano joined the business in 1991, originally more as a hobby. At the time, his father sold wine mainly in bulk, as there wasn’t much of a market for bottled wine. Stefano quickly saw potential and began bottling Sauvignon Blanc, which gained popularity. By 1996-97, he was considering expanding into reds.
Stefano recalled the moment that changed everything: “I am not a fan of Valpolicella wines and wanted to make something different. A friend, a local consultant, introduced me to three wines he was working on in the Colli Berici—a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot and a third bottle with no label. The third wine was simply fantastic. Spicy, soft, full of personality and with great elegance.” Stefano was intrigued. “I asked him, ‘What is this? It’s fantastic!’ My friend replied, ‘Believe it or not, it’s Carmenère.’”
That was the moment when Stefano knew Carmenère was the wine he wanted to make. He immediately ordered barriques and began his first Carmenère experiment. By January 2000, he had purchased the Colli Berici estate. Today, Inama’s total production in Colli Berici spans 30 hectares, with more than 15 dedicated to Carmenère, the rest to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the more recently introduced Cabernet Franc. As Stefano pointed out, “Cabernet Franc is the father of Carmenère because Carmenère is a cross between Cabernet Franc and Gros Cabernet, an ancient French Basque variety.”
Though by 2017, Stefano had basically spent the last 20 years immersing himself in the world of Carmenère, he decided to enlist the help of world-famous Bordeaux consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt, who was surprised to find Carmenère growing in the north of Italy. “He thought it had disappeared from Europe,” Stefano explained. “I pointed out that I believe Colli Berici is the perfect place for Carmenère, with its red clay and limestone soils that are perfect for this variety. The more limestone you have, the more flowery the wine. The more clay, the more full-bodied.”
Carmenère, as Stefano described, is a noble grape with a challenging nature. The cross with Gros Cabernet makes it hard to ripen, and it ripens late in the season. “If you don’t have a perfect season, great location, and great viticulture, you end up with rotten grapes very early on. This is viticulture for truly professional farmers.” Stefano had to start from scratch, but was convinced that if you create a great product, it will naturally find appreciation. He wasn’t surprised, for example, that wine consumption has been on the decline. “There’s nothing new on the market. The younger generation wants something new.”
We started the tasting with the Carmenère Più 2022, a blend with 15% Merlot. Vibrant with bold, spicy notes of black pepper, blackberry and black cherry. The tannins were well-balanced with a fresh acidity, giving the wine an appealing structure. Easy to drink, yet full of character. Stefano produces about 70,000 bottles of this wine each year.
Next, we moved on to the Carminium 2021, a pure expression of Carmenère, with intense aromas of blackcurrant, plum and green herbs. On the palate, it offered rich, dark fruit flavors, combined with herbal and spicy undertones such as pepper and clove. The tannins were smooth and the finish long, with a touch of smokiness. The wine was mouthwatering, a beautiful reflection of Carmenère’s potential in the right hands.
As Stefano walked us through the wines, his pride in the land and his work was unmistakable. He spoke about the importance of knowing his grapes. “I personally check the grapes every day, and since I started to do that, my understanding of the plants has increased. Like people, you really have to get to know the plant. When you know your grapes, you can pretty much do anything you want and make a great wine. Some winemakers are spending millions on things like fancy wineries, but walls don’t produce grapes. I’m very old-school in this sense. Wine is blood, sweat, and tears.”
The next wine, Bradisismo 2021, was a complex blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Carmenère. With layers of blackcurrant and cherries, warm spices and oak-derived notes of vanilla and chocolate, it was a full-bodied wine with well-balanced tannins and a long, elegant finish.
We finished with the Oratorio San Lorenzo 2018 Riserva, the second wine made under the wings of Derenoncourt. This 100% Carmenère was bold and expressive, with rich notes of ripe blackberry and plum, layered with spice and hints of cocoa. Its velvety texture, silky tannins and persistent finish made it a standout. But what Stefano pointed out as his favorite characteristic was “a hint of candied orange rind with chocolate.” Stefano: “This note to me is fantastic. It gives a brightness and a freshness to the wine.”
The final pour was the Oratorio San Lorenzo 2007 Riserva, which showed us how well the grape can age. “Or doesn’t age,” Stefano said with a smile. After 17 years, the wine had retained its freshness, with slight vegetal notes still present.
“In Europe, we are the only ones who have a serious project with Carmenère,” Stefano said. “We’ve been working on this for more than 25 years, and we’re only now starting to achieve the results.”
As the tasting came to a close, Stefano made another remark that resonated with me. “Journalists need to impress people with their articles about wine. You need a good story. But winemaking means hard work every day. It’s difficult to write an article about this. It will be boring.” In some ways, I agreed with him. As journalists, we sometimes miss the mark by focusing too much on the romance of wine and on our fancy tasting notes (much to the irk of the ‘non-professional’ wine drinker who may not know what ‘pencil shavings’ translates to in the glass, or to the novice who may be scared away by such obscure descriptors). For me, wine will always be the real stories of the people who make it—their struggles, their successes, their unrelenting drive. Telling these stories gives wine not only its true sense of place, but adds another dimension that goes way beyond the glass.
What I encountered that morning at Inama was a place where Carmenère is exactly where it should be—a grape expressing itself fully in the hands of someone who understands it. Meeting Stefano and hearing his passion was more than just a tasting experience; it was an ode to the dedication of true winemaking.
With thanks to Studio Cru and Consorzio Colli Berici e Vicenza.