Italy’s “Best Emergent Producer” Bertinga Launches Three New Markets Across APAC
Winner of “Best Emergent Producer 2022” by Guida Essenziale Vini d’Italia, Bertinga is a new project that has stemmed from decades of passion for Italy and its finest wines. Having entered the European and US markets to great applause, this stunning, boutique wine estate is, this spring, launching three new fortress markets in APAC – Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai – partnering with new import partners Fine Vintage, The Straits Wine Company and Bank of Fine Wines respectively.
To kick start the launching program, Luca Vitiello, Bertinga’s Commercial Director will be visiting the region this February and hosting a series of luxury events, tastings, trainings and wine dinners. Starting in Hong Kong, Fine Vintage and Vitiello will be hosting an intimate tasting for sommeliers, followed by an exclusive launch event at one of Hong Kong’s most illustrious private member’s clubs, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, where Vitiello will present a stunning line up of Bertinga wines.
“We are immensely excited to be launching Bertinga in Hong Kong”, says Kevin Stephen, Fine Vintage General Manager. “As has been corroborated by the top international critics, the exceptional uniqueness and quality of these wines is second to none. In a remarkably short space of time, indeed with its very first vintages, Bertinga has risen to heights that are not only impressive, but , quite frankly, staggering! We are very much looking forward to sharing these outstanding new wines with the wine community and consumers of Hong Kong.”
In Singapore Bertinga will be launching with Straits Wines with Vitiello hosting a series of trainings and private client events as well as visiting sommeliers at a number of Singapore’s most iconic restaurants. Later this spring, Bertinga will launch with Bank of Fine Wines, a specialist importer based in Shanghai. Their portfolio covers a wide range of fine wines from the top regions and countries in the world, such as Burgundy, Bordeaux, Tuscany, Piedmont and Priorat. Bertinga will be targeted towards the wine lists of premium restaurants and wine bars across the major urban cities in China, as well as private collectors and Italian wine lovers.
The vision for Bertinga from the outset has been singular – a vineyard in Gaiole in the heart of Chianti Classico, a region that produces exceptionally age-worthy wines combining elegance with power, finesse and complexity. As such, it has been the cradle of Chianti Classico DOCG for centuries and also home to some of the finest Super Tuscans ever produced.
In 2015 the top cru vineyard, Bertinga, was purchased from world-renowned estate Castello di Ama. Besides being perfect for Sangiovese, the calcareous clay soil with high limestone content of this vineyard has proved to be ideal for Merlot whose ripening is slowed down by the cool temperatures of the soil and the elevation. In 2016 two more vineyards in close proximity – Vertine and Adine – also came up for sale and were incorporated into the Bertinga estate.
The premise is small, organic, exclusive and simple: one single estate (Bertinga), two grape varieties (Sangiovese and Merlot), three vineyards (Bertinga, Vertine, Adine) and four wines (2 estate wines, 2 single parcel crus). An extremely limited production of just 5,000 cases a year from 100% estate grown fruit is made by internationally acclaimed terroir-driven winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt. One fifth of production is kept back for late release.
Launching officially in 2020 the brand has shot to the forefront of the Italian fine wine scene winning numerous notable accolades including Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri for Volta di Bertinga 2016 which was described by judges as “quite simply the best Merlot tasted this year in Italy”. Subsequently the 2019 vintage received 99 points, ranked 27th in his “Top 100 Wines in the World” and was described as a “masterpiece” by James Suckling after blind tasting against some of the world’s most highly respected Merlots.
Due to its limited production distribution across the region will be highly targeted into premium HORECA, specialized retail and to private clients.
“We are thrilled to be launching across three key APAC markets concurrently this spring,” says Vitiello. “Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai represent three of the most exciting cities in terms of restaurants, bars and passionate wine consumers so I am looking forward immensely to my trip and being able to share our wines and our story with them in person.”
For more information about Bertinga’s wines in APAC, please contact polly@nimbilityasia.com