Sartarelli
07/2024: Sartarelli's white wines are produced from one single grape variety: Verdicchio, which is native to Italy's Marche region. To emphasise this special attribute, glass packaging manufacturer Vetropack supplies a unique bottle designed by the Sartarelli winery itself – so the same love of detail is reflected in the wine and its glass container.
Instead of emigrating to Argentina, Ferruccio Sartarelli chose Matilde, the love of his life. Once he’d decided to stay in Italy with his wife, Ferruccio – who was actually a baker by profession – discovered another passion: his enthusiasm for wine-growing. From 1972 until the present day, the Sartarelli winery has focused on the Verdicchio grape variety, which was already cultivated in ancient times here in the sun-drenched heart of Italy. Guided by his unshakeable faith in 'his very own grape', the company's founder used it as the basis for developing quality wines that are honoured with awards year after year – both in Italy and beyond.
A non-stop procession of awards – and now, Italy's representative at the 2024 Paris Olympics!
In 1999, Sartarelli's Balciana won awards as Italy's best white wine, and even as the best white wine in the world – and the success stories and honours continue unabated. As winners of the International Wine Challenge, the Decanter World Wine Awards, Mundus Vini and many Italian competitions, Sartarelli wines number among the world's best and most highly honoured vintages almost every year. 'Vinous', the USA wine magazine, has consistently awarded them scores of 90 or more (out of a possible 100 points) since 2021. Last but by no means least, Sartarelli's Tralivio was selected as one of ten Italian white wines for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris – so from now on, it enjoys the status of 'Olympic Wine'!
Sartarelli is a genuine family business, run by the second and third generations. 'Team spirit and passion for the product are absolutely crucial factors for us,' says Patrizio Chiacchiarini, the son-in-law of the company's founder. 'We all work together to cultivate 55 hectares of vineyards, and a further 6 hectares of olive trees for our proprietary olive oil.' All of Sartarelli's white wines are made exclusively from the Verdicchio grape, a variety that ripens in late summer and is harvested not by machine but by hand. The Verdicchio grape is better known in Italy as a variety used for simple table wines. Thanks to Sartarelli's care, dedication and special expertise, it is refined to produce white wines of the very highest quality.
«That's why we're so very happy that we can highlight our quality and uniqueness with the special bottle from Vetropack.»
For almost 20 years, Sartarelli has used the exclusive glass packaging by Vetropack that was originally based on Patrizio Chiacchiarini's own ideas. Nowadays, it is used exclusively for the Sartarelli Classico, Tralivio and Balciana varieties – and, since 2022, also for Milletta. This exceptional wine has a maturation period of almost two years. It was created to celebrate the winery's 50th anniversary and is named after Matilde Sartarelli – who was known to everyone simply as 'Milletta'.
Chiacchiarini explains how the bottle came into being: 'I wanted a different structure for the bottle, partly to improve the way the cork is enclosed so as to achieve a better seal quality. That's why we slimmed down the shoulder of the bottle and made the sides a little smoother. Also, the label surface is now perfectly cylindrical.' As the final touch, a customised embossing – the curved 'S' for Sartarelli – underscores the individual character of Vetropack's glass packaging. 'The bottle is appreciated and popular; people perceive it as one of our trademarks, and that's very important for us because it helps us to stand out among the vast number of suppliers, especially in Italy,' Chiacchiarini emphasises. Sartarelli supplies an annual total of around 150,000 bottles – and Vetropack accounts for a large share of them.
Outstanding wines – in packaging that stands out
Every year, Sartarelli produces six different varieties of white wine ranging from the sparkling Sartarelli Brut to the late-harvest Sartarelli Passito, as well as a grappa. The winery achieves an export share of over 60 percent with this portfolio. 'Traditionally, we have a very strong presence in the USA, Japan and also Scandinavia, including Norway in particular,' Chiacchiarini continues. In recent years, the winery has increasingly opened its gates to visitors so as to boost regional sales; more and more events and wine tastings are being held, including some outside the winery's premises. A visit to Sartarelli also features on the programme for MSC cruise ships when they dock in Ancona, about 40 kilometres away.
To this day, openness to new ideas is still part of Sartarelli’s passion for viticulture – entirely in keeping with the spirit of the company's founder. 'Back in the 1980s, when we started planting double rows and tying them up with wire so they could grow flexibly and bear fruit, everyone thought we were crazy,' Chiacchiarini recalls. 'But at the end of the day, that approach worked – just like the individual design of the glass packaging that we implemented and improved, one step at a time, with Vetropack's help.' The dark colour of the bottle, which also protects the wine against sunlight, adds an extra touch.
A shared commitment to quality, innovation and sustainability
Both Sartarelli and Vetropack accord high priority to the issue of sustainability. Just recently, the winery decided to expand the capacity of its photovoltaic system from 23 to 61 kW. 'What's more, we're committed to totally chemical-free products. We launched the 'Sartarelli.ZERO' programme back in 2013 and since then, we've extended it to all the areas we cultivate. That means our products are 100 percent free of artificial chemical residues – the 0.001 ppm limit is only due to the measurement inaccuracy,' Chiacchiarini reports. Instead of using chemicals, the natural defences of the plants are activated with the help of natural products – and that ultimately benefits consumers' health as well.
Glass is the perfect packaging material in this context. Vetropack, too, pursues ambitious corporate sustainability goals in terms of energy and water consumption, recycling, supply chains and the reduction of CO2 emissions. As an inert (non-reactive) material, glass optimally safeguards the purity and quality of Sartarelli's exclusive wines – and the unique design of the glass packaging is the ideal way to highlight the exclusive nature of the contents.
Caterina and Tommaso, the children of Patrizio Chiacchiarini and Donatella Sartarelli – the founder's daughter – are now playing their parts in the family business. Tommaso, as a qualified oenologist, ensures the high quality of the wine on a daily basis, while Caterina is responsible for the export business. 'We're increasingly opening up our premises to guests, and we regularly organise cultural events to raise awareness of our brand,' she notes. 'It's nice to see people coming back – that shows us we're on the right track. As regards export markets, we want to become more diversified in the future: France offers us plenty of opportunities that we will gradually be exploiting, and Lithuania is an important key market for Eastern Europe. Vetropack's international orientation makes them the ideal partner for us, and we'd be delighted to step up our collaboration with them – to do more in terms of small or special series and sustainability, for instance.'
