There’s no such thing as a perfect wine, argues Andrea Burato of Burato Wines. Sommelier, speaker and wine writer Patrizia Vigolo digs into the enigma of the Valpolicella winemaker.
If small is the new big, Burato Wines is mighty indeed. Located in Marcellise with the historic premium wine region of Valpolicella in the Italy’s province of Verona, owner-winemaker Andrea Burato makes just two wines – Valpolicella Superiore DOC and Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva DOCG at just 6000 and 3500 bottles per year respectively.
By Valpolicella standards, those are exceedingly small quantities. But what Andrea lacks in volume he makes up with meticulous precision and an eye for quality, focusing on traditional artisanal methods and minimal intervention to truly reflect the unique terroir of the region.
Spirited contributor Patrizia Vigolo speaks with Andrea, looking to understand the winemaker and convey his aspirations for Burato wines. Topics range from profound discussions on wine, and thoughts on the future of winemaking, to bittersweet reflections on the future of Valpolicella.
Tell me about yourself, who is Andrea?
Born in 1975, I was lucky to grow up in the beautiful valley of Marcellise, immersed in rural life thanks to my family’s agricultural business. This environment sparked a deep passion for viticulture from an early age. After completing my engineering degree, I became a sommelier and embarked on my journey into the world of wine.
The pivotal moment of my career came in 2013 when I met the winemaker Damiano Peroni. This meeting was instrumental in turning a long-nurtured project into a tangible reality: creating a unique Valpolicella Superiore, crafted exclusively from fresh grapes that could faithfully express the authentic identity of our region. Since 2013, Damiano Peroni and I have brainstormed, waited, studied, and finally launched our wines in 2023.
This experience marked a decisive turning point in my professional path, solidifying my vision to celebrate the distinct terroir of Marcellise in Verona through high-quality, distinctive wines.
Grape growing has always been my passion. Ever since I started helping my father manage the land, I was excited about winemaking, but I couldn’t grasp the identity of a ‘wine of my own,’ envisioning a true expression of the terroir to bottle. Then I met Damiano, and it’s amazing how quickly we found a shared vision and common direction.
I immediately understood that wine is what the land gives. I wanted to start with the idea of an elegant Valpolicella made from fresh grapes. I didn’t want a technical wine, but I wanted a great pleasure to drink.
“I wanted the wine to be perfect, but perfect for me. Then I understood that the perfect wine doesn’t exist.
Wine is subjective, it changes your perception of a glass depending on your mood, but above all, wine is an interpretation of the terroir.”
– Andrea Burato, Burato Wines
And what about Amarone?
If you don’t make Amarone, you’re crazy. So I made it, in my own way. I didn’t want a heavy wine, because that would have been just an exercise in style and nothing more. I wanted lightness, and elegance. Being powerful doesn’t mean being heavy.
What is your philosophy?
My motto “I haven’t done anything, just the right movement at the right time” encapsulates my approach. It’s all about a calm attention to nature and the flow of seasons. This philosophy aims to let the terroir speak through the wine. These choices are made not only based on soil composition and exposure, but also on trellising methods and grape varieties.
Crucial is the concept of minimising human intervention in the vineyard, respecting natural rhythms and influencing cultivation, production, and aging times delicately. This approach allows the land to express itself according to its intrinsic nature and enables the wine to authentically convey its terroir of origin.
So what makes a great wine?
It’s a wine that is enjoyable to drink, that calls for a second glass. Wine is something that pairs well with food. In creating a great wine, I have also thought about this: it must pair well with food, and to achieve that, it needs to have good freshness. That’s why I have chosen the two coolest plots to maintain high acidity, and this is my signature.
How do you communicate the value of your wine to your customers?
We need to offer something that evokes emotions, that’s all.
What would you like people to say about your wines?
The best compliment we can receive is “I find something different in this wine, I’ve never tasted a Valpo (abbreviation for Valpolicella) or an Amarone like this before.” Above all, the greatest compliment and satisfaction is seeing an empty bottle.
How do you see the future?
Our evolution will be to continue along the path we have set. We are gaining more experience. We are getting to know our vineyards better. At the same time, our vineyards are aging more and more, thus achieving consistently better and increasingly diverse quality.
More and more, we have the desire to experiment with new solutions in the cellar.
Patrizia Vigolo is a Veneto native with AIS Sommelier and WSET Level 3 certifications. With over 15 years of experience in the wine industry, she has served as a national and export sales director for several Italian wineries. Patrizia specialises as a private travel planner, curating unique experiences for those wishing to explore Italy differently. She is a regular conference speaker, an international wine judge, contributes to various Italian and international magazines as a wine writer, and also conduct courses in marketing and sales for those looking to delve into the world of wine.
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