CASTELLARE DI CASTELLINA CELEBRATES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF LUIGI VERONELLI
A tribute to the great Italian philosopher of wine, marked by the special edition I Sodi di Veronelli On February 2, 2026, Luigi Veronelli would have turned 100. To celebrate this anniversary, Paolo Panerai — founder of Castellare di Castellina, a historic Chianti Classico estate, and a close friend and co-author of Veronelli — has chosen to dedicate a tribute to the most important philosopher of Italian wine at Da Vittorio restaurant in Brusaporto (near Bergamo). Awarded three Michelin stars, Da Vittorio was discovered by Veronelli when it was still run by the father of the Cerea brothers, in Bergamo. The tribute honors the memory of the man who was the father of I Sodi di San Niccolò, Castellare di Castellina’s Super Tuscan.
A day devoted to remembrance and storytelling about Gino—as he was known to everyone—made even more special by the limited edition I Sodi di Veronelli: just 3.000 bottles of I Sodi di San Niccolò 2021, featuring a red label inspired by the color of the cloak Veronelli used to wrap himself in. Enhancing the bottle is a small booklet recounting the story of an important meeting—that between Veronelli and Paolo Panerai—a partnership that left a lasting mark.
“I became friends with Gino in 1970, at Panorama magazine,” Paolo Panerai recalls. “Editor-in-chief Lamberto Sechi had sensed Veronelli’s greatness and the importance of educating Italians about the quality of wine and many other food products. And Gino (I preferred to call him Luigi) invented the first ‘maps of taste’ through a series of printed inserts that brought success not only to Panorama but also to producers who, inspired by Veronelli’s philosophy, began striving for ever higher quality”.
The friendship between Veronelli and Panerai was fraternal—a relationship of collaboration and mutual respect that led to several publications, including the monthly magazine L’Etichetta and an edition of Dialoghetti morali, in which Veronelli, in a style inspired by Leopardi’s Operette morali, engaged in dialogue with various interlocutors on culture, wine, and society.“It was Veronelli, along with my grandfather Fernando, who passed on to me a passion for wine and its values,” Panerai adds. “But more importantly, he was the true father of I Sodi di San Niccolò. That is why we decided to create a special edition of the wine.
It was he who insisted—yes, insisted—that I place the definite article ‘I’ before the name to certify its quality. We were walking together down from the Castellare cellar toward the Church of San Niccolò, between the two oldest vineyards. The first had been named vigna de’ sodi by the sharecroppers because of the particularly stony soil—the best for making wine. The second, with the same type of soil, lay near the 14th-century church and was called San Niccolò. It was late August 1976. I explained that we had decided, together with the winemaker (then Maurizio Castelli), to produce a Super Tuscan in the wake of Vigorello and Tignanello. I didn’t even have time to specify the grape choices when he stated, in a peremptory tone: ‘You told me you have not only Sangioveto in your vineyards but also Malvasia Nera; there you go—forget the French varieties used for other high-quality Chianti wines. Italian grapes are excellent, and Malvasia Nera is better with Sangioveto than Merlot or Cabernet.’ It was exactly what I was thinking too.” .
The first vintage of I Sodi di San Niccolò, 1977, was born in this way, becoming the fourth Historical Super Tuscan of Chianti Classico. And just as Veronelli had suggested, the wine is produced exclusively from native Tuscan grape varieties — 85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia Nera — from the estate’s two finest crus. Over the years, I Sodi di San Niccolò has garnered major accolades, earning a place three times among Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list and debuting in the first global Top 100 by Vinous’ Antonio Galloni, thus confirming the ability to craft great wines by Alessandro Cellai, winemaker and Vice President of the Domini Castellare di Castellina Group.
“Thanks to Luigi Veronelli, Italian oenology and gastronomy has become a true philosophy of life,” Panerai emphasizes. “The choice to honor him at Da Vittorio in Brusaporto was no coincidence: he was the one who discovered the talent of the Cerea family, whose cuisine he loved dearly. Dedicating a label of his I Sodi di San Niccolò to him today is a modest tribute, but I am sure that, as an atheist, he will appreciate it in Paradise—even though there are hundreds of successful Italian wines that owe so much to him and his philosophy”.
I SODI DI VERONELLI
A Special Label
The label of the limited-edition I Sodi di Veronelli is like a book to be leafed through. Beneath the iconic little bird—appearing on a red background for the occasion—there is a second label waiting to be discovered. Simply lifting the flap reveals the story of the day Veronelli suggested the name of Castellare di Castellina’s Super Tuscan. On the right appears an image of the great philosopher-oenologist with the Castellare vineyards in the background. Completing the packaging is a booklet tied around the bottle’s neck, with the story of this special friendship as told by Paolo Panerai. A compelling narrative that transforms the wine into an immersive, engaging experience.
Tasting Notes from the Winemaker
“I Sodi di Veronelli 2021 stands out for its great aromatic intensity and a dense yet elegant weave of sweet tannins, supported by the acidity of the Sangioveto. The palate is particularly pleasant and vibrant, with a long, persistent finish. A wine that can be enjoyed immediately or left in the cellar for very long aging.”. Alessandro Cellai
I SODI DI S.NICCOLÒ | SPECIAL EDITION VERONELLI 100
Tags: Anniversary, Castellare di Castellina, I Sodi di S. Niccolò, Special Edition, Veronelli 100