Perched on southeast-facing slopes above the village of Marano di Valpolicella, Novaia is the kind of family estate that makes you believe in the long game. The Vaona family has farmed this land for generations, and when Cristina and Marcello Vaona joined as the fourth generation in 2005, they converted the estate to organic farming and set a new course for the domaine.
Backstory
Paolo Vaona founded the estate in the late nineteenth century, and the winery began bottling its own wines commercially in 1918. The property sits within a fourteenth-century stone compound in the Marano valley, one of the five classic sub-valleys of Valpolicella. Cesare and Giampaolo Vaona ran the estate through the latter half of the twentieth century before Cristina and Marcello took the reins in 2005. Organic conversion followed immediately, with full ICEA certification achieved at the 2014 harvest.
The Region
Valpolicella Classico occupies a cluster of valleys northwest of Verona in the Veneto. The Marano valley, where Novaia is based, is known for its volcanic tuffaceous soils and for producing wines with particular aromatic lift and freshness. The estate vineyards range from 250 to 400 meters above sea level, giving the grapes a long, cool growing season that preserves natural acidity.
Vineyards and Farming
Novaia farms 7 hectares of vines across three parcels in the Marano valley. The soils are a combination of calcareous clay, volcanic tuff, and alluvial material. Grape varieties include Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Rondinella, and the rare indigenous Oseleta. Vines are trained on both pergola and guyot systems, and all harvesting is done by hand. Organic certification from ICEA has been in place since 2014, with no synthetic herbicides or pesticides used.
Winemaking
Marcello ferments with native yeasts in stainless steel and large oak vessels. Sulfur is kept to a strict minimum and no other additives are used. For the Amarone and Recioto, the best grapes are laid on drying racks for one to four months before fermentation. Aging takes place in large French and Slavonian oak botti, with Amarone spending 24 to 36 months in barrel, Ripasso spending 12 months, and the Valpolicella Classico raised in tank for freshness.
The Wines
The range centers on three classic Valpolicella appellations: Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore, and Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. The flagship Amarone 'Corte Vaona' uses a blend of roughly 50% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 15% Rondinella, and 5% Oseleta, aged 24 months in barrel followed by at least eight months in bottle. Annual production is approximately 40,000 bottles, with around 70% exported.
