90/100 - Decanter World Wine Awards

Silver - Vinitaste Wine Competition Brussel 2022
Commended - International Wine Challenge
Bronze - International Wine Challenge (2020, 2018, 2017, 2013 vintage)
Bronze - International Wine & Spirits Competition (2018, 2017, 2016 vintage)
Silver - International Wine & Spirits Competition (2014 vintage)
Silver - Mundus Vini (2015 vintage)
Silver - TEXSOM Interational Wine Awards (2013 vintage)
Silver - Vinalies Internationales (2015 vintage)

Tasting Notes "A hint of brett adds to the red plummy fruit, smoke, spice, and dried herbs, finishing with firm extracted tannins."

The Winemaker "...full-bodied and rich with dark fruit flavors of blackberry and black cherry balanced by a solid structure due to the elevated alcohol, acidity and soft tannins. It's a great wine for roasted and grilled meats, stews and other rich dishes. Also excellent with mature firm cheeses."

Gilbert & Gaillard "Dark garnet with ruby tints. Beguiling nose of cherry, sour cherry and fine spices with a touch of mocha. Velvety attack, ample, robust, powerful palate showing hay and youthful iodine and mineral touches. Firm mid-palate. Well-made with well-judged proportions." (2015 vintage)

Our "Gran Passione" wines are exactly this, the expression and devotion to our work that honors the tradition of our land;
something to be passionate about

The wine is produced by Botter's renouned Cantine Bertoldi winery, an Italian wine estate situated 12km from the city of Verona in Veneto. The estate is particularly known for its Valpolicella and Amarone wines: Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella Ripasso and Amarone della Valpolicella.

Botter is one of Italy's largest, family-owned wineries and has been producing and exporting wines for almost a century. Today one in every 35 bottles of Italian wine exported is produced by Botter which is managed by the family's third generation of vignerons. Botter is committed to organic and sustainable winemaking practices at many of its vineyards which are located in Puglia, Veneto and Friuli. The winery has won over 100 top international awards for its wines, most notably the gold medal Vinalies Internationales 2014, China Wine & Spirits Awards 2013, Concurs Mondial de Bruxelles 2010, Berliner wine Trophy 2013 and Mundus Vini 2013.

Veneto is an important wine region in the northeastern of Italy. Vineyards in Veneto wine region can be found on the shores of Lake Garda as well as near the lagoon of Venice, at the foot of the Dolomites and in the hills of Mantua. The variety of the cultivated grapes is unique: it ranges from autochthonous white vines such as the Prosecco or Garganega grape to Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio to the distinct red varieties Corvina and Raboso and to Cabernet and Merlot. With such well-known wines as Amarone, Valpolicella, Soave or Prosecco, Veneto is one of the most important wine-growing regions in Italy.

Gran Passione is a rich, deeply-coloured blend of Merlot (60%) and Corvina grown in select vineyards in Italy's Veneto region. If you want a taste of the Amarone experience without the heady price tag Gran Passione certainly delivers. Made using the same traditional “Apassimento” method; it's a full bodied blend of Merlot & Corvina and is known to be rich & overflowing with lusciously sweet & soft black cherry, vanilla & plum. Gran Passione pays homage to the Venetians long standing history of being great traders and their rich wine culture. The aim in creating this new blend in 2013 was to allow Veneto wineries to create wines of high quality, that are affordable and representative in style to those that have been made in Veneto for centuries.