The Montresor story
1892
The long history of the Montresor Family includes some famous ancestors such as the Count Claude de Montresor, trusted advisor to the Duke of Orleans in France in the 17th century. In the mid-1600s, a branch of the dynasty moved to the Veneto region close to Lake Garda, an area well known for the quality of its morainic soil, and there found the perfect environment for continuing to grow one of the family’s main passions: wine making. In 1892, Giacomo Montresor started up Cantine Giacomo Montresor.
1921
THE BIRTH OF THE FROSTED BOTTLE
Giacomo, who was a painter at heart, designed a new project of his in 1904: A sinous curved bottle that combined the form of a classic flask of wine and the one of a glass bottle.
In 1906 the first “Mula” bottle
was exported overseas, to the
United States; and as exports
began, so did the logistics
problems.
The long journey
from Italy to the United States
became a gamble for every
single bottle.
As it wasn’t considered to be
a luxury item, the wine
was often stored on the ship’s
deck and the bottles
were in open wooden cases
of 16 bottles. The sun on the
ocean was causing oxidation
and refermentation to the wine.
Giacomo wouldn’t give up and began to satinize the bottles to protect their precious content. It took 15 years but at last, in 1921, the frosted bottle made its appearance.
1941
The new line dedicated to flasks of Verona wines
In 1941, Bruno, the founder’s son, who had taken over the firm by that time, began to make the FLASKS destined for thousands of customers in NORTH AMERICA and ITALY.
1946
First bottle of Recioto Amaro Rustego and the first shipment to Canada.
After several years of making refinements in the wine-making field, the first Recioto Amaro della Valpolicella was created: Rustego. At that time this was a totally new wine made of Corvina grapes dried on the typical "arelle"system.
1951
Aperitif and the innovative soul of Montresor
From the early 50s Cantine Montresor was one of the Italian protagonists in the world of the “Bitter Aperitivo”. In fact a dedicated division was set up for a distribution of this product which lasted more than 40 years
The letters with which the founder Giacomo Montresor presented his Spritz to the Experimental Station of Enology in 1951, are proudly kept at the Winery
1956
The start of Spumante wines
And in 1956 he bought the first autoclave for the sparkling wine-making process. Thus began Montresor’s long-standing tradition in the production of quality sparkling wines, which after years of experiments led to the creation of the “Metodo Charmat Lungo Montresor”. One of the first products to be made into a sparkling wine was Recioto, and some old bottles of the product are still stored in the company’s historical wine cellars.
1969
Amarone Montresor arrives in Canada
From the 1950s, Italians began to emigrate to Canada once more, looking for a new life. The most popular cities were Toronto (in the province of Ontario) and Montréal (in Québec) where the Italian community created the famous Petite Italie (Little Italy).
It was the time to take the name of Valpolicella to those areas too. In 1952, a ship set sail from the Italian coast heading to the port of Québec City. On board, there were the first wooden crates, branded with the words: “Vini Classici Veronesi Montresor”.
A few years later in Canada, the first bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella DOC was presented in the frosted bottle, which is still an icon of wine in North America.
In 1969, Amarone Montresor was listed at Canadian Monopoly of Québec
1991
The Capitel della Crosara selection is created
Just like a man is formed and made of
little moments in life, for the wine is the
same thing.
Attention to small details
always leads to revealing depths that
sometimes we can’t see immediately;
but if we just stop for a moment
and immerse ourselves in the
Valpolicella hills everything will
seem clearer. Fragrances, the
consistency of the soil, sounds,
the people who have taken care
of this wonderful land for
generations.
The need that led Montresor
to create the Capitel della
Crosara line comes from this
sensory portrait. A need,
almost an instinct to find a
way of capturing, in a bottle,
these wonderful sensations
that you feel when walking
on those hills.
Wines that
couldn’t have any kind of
filter but stay sheer,
to maintain the connection
with their own terroir.
Just like in a perfect dance,
the elements in these wines
swap with each other, they
entwine, they push higher, and
elegantly show you their mother:
the Valpolicella.
1892
The long history of the Montresor Family includes some famous ancestors such as the Count Claude de Montresor, trusted advisor to the Duke of Orleans in France in the 17th century. In the mid-1600s, a branch of the dynasty moved to the Veneto region close to Lake Garda, an area well known for the quality of its morainic soil, and there found the perfect environment for continuing to grow one of the family’s main passions: wine making. In 1892, Giacomo Montresor started up Cantine Giacomo Montresor.
1921
THE BIRTH OF THE FROSTED BOTTLE
Giacomo, who was a painter at heart, designed a new project of his in 1904: A sinous curved bottle that combined the form of a classic flask of wine and the one of a glass bottle.
In 1906 the first “Mula” bottle
was exported overseas, to the
United States; and as exports
began, so did the logistics
problems.
The long journey
from Italy to the United States
became a gamble for every
single bottle.
As it wasn’t considered to be
a luxury item, the wine
was often stored on the ship’s
deck and the bottles
were in open wooden cases
of 16 bottles. The sun on the
ocean was causing oxidation
and refermentation to the wine.
Giacomo wouldn’t give up and began to satinize the bottles to protect their precious content. It took 15 years but at last, in 1921, the frosted bottle made its appearance.
1941
The new line dedicated to flasks of Verona wines
In 1941, Bruno, the founder’s son, who had taken over the firm by that time, began to make the FLASKS destined for thousands of customers in NORTH AMERICA and ITALY.
1946
First bottle of Recioto Amaro Rustego and the first shipment to Canada.
After several years of making refinements in the wine-making field, the first Recioto Amaro della Valpolicella was created: Rustego. At that time this was a totally new wine made of Corvina grapes dried on the typical "arelle"system.
1951
Aperitif and the innovative soul of Montresor
From the early 50s Cantine Montresor was one of the Italian protagonists in the world of the “Bitter Aperitivo”. In fact a dedicated division was set up for a distribution of this product which lasted more than 40 years
Eventually in the early ‘90s Montresor decided to give full attention to wine production and kept only its most representative aperitif: “Montresor Rosso”.
The letters with which the founder Giacomo Montresor presented his Spritz to the Experimental Station of Enology in 1951, are proudly kept at the Winery
1956
The start of Spumante wines
Commendatore Bruno, who was
always searching for innovation
and new products, decided to invest
and dedicate resources to a more
unusual product for the area: the
Spumante.
And in 1956 he bought the
first autoclave for the sparkling
wine-making process. Thus
began Montresor’s long-standing
tradition in the production of
quality sparkling wines, which
after years of experiments led
to the creation of the “Metodo
Charmat Lungo Montresor”.
One of the first products to be made into a sparkling wine was Recioto, and some old bottles of the product are still stored in the company’s historical wine cellars.
1969
Amarone Montresor arrives in Canada
From the 1950s, Italians began to emigrate to Canada once more, looking for a new life. The most popular cities were Toronto (in the province of Ontario) and Montréal (in Québec) where the Italian community created the famous Petite Italie (Little Italy).
It was the time to take the name of Valpolicella to those areas too. In 1952, a ship set sail from the Italian coast heading to the port of Québec City. On board, there were the first wooden crates, branded with the words: “Vini Classici Veronesi Montresor”.
A few years later in Canada, the first bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella DOC was presented in the frosted bottle, which is still an icon of wine in North America.
In 1969, Amarone Montresor was listed at Canadian Monopoly of Québec
1991
The Capitel della Crosara selection is created
Just like a man is formed and made of
little moments in life, for the wine is the
same thing.
Attention to small details
always leads to revealing depths that
sometimes we can’t see immediately;
but if we just stop for a moment
and immerse ourselves in the
Valpolicella hills everything will
seem clearer. Fragrances, the
consistency of the soil, sounds,
the people who have taken care
of this wonderful land for
generations.
The need that led Montresor
to create the Capitel della
Crosara line comes from this
sensory portrait. A need,
almost an instinct to find a
way of capturing, in a bottle,
these wonderful sensations
that you feel when walking
on those hills.
Wines that
couldn’t have any kind of
filter but stay sheer,
to maintain the connection
with their own terroir.
Just like in a perfect dance,
the elements in these wines
swap with each other, they
entwine, they push higher, and
elegantly show you their mother:
the Valpolicella.
2022
Foundation of the Wine Museum
130 years told in the Wine Museum
Wine is an immersive experience to be lived at 360 degrees between story, culture and territory. Our journey begins with the history of our cellars, inextricably linked to the city of Verona. Our structure is in fact located a stone’s throw from the historic center.