It ‘a company known since the’ 30s, but one that over the years has been able to diversify production, expanding its reach beyond the original entrepreneurial vocation: today Avanzi, one of Garda historic brands in the wine world, is synonymous not only with wine and extra virgin olive oil olive oil but also of craft beer, thanks to a challenge launched 16 years ago and gradually grown to represent today 30% of the total business.
In 2015, the brewery has permanently changed name, from Manerba Brewery to the more italian Birrificio Manerba, and the production at the factory in Manerba, located near the oil mill, the winery, the wine shop and the brasserie, increased further by touching share 400,000 liters. Among the specialties produced a prominent place belongs to the celebrated Fiordalisa blanche, a wheat and oatmeal beer in classical Flemish style, which in the past year won the silver at the European Beer Star competition in Germany.
“These are really great satisfactions, showing that ours is now become a brand known and respected in the industry for the quality of the productions thanks to the collaboration of two talented brewers who have been working with us for some time now and have left their trademark on our products – says Giovanni Avanzi, sales manager of the group, together with his cousin Francis directly following the production of the brewery -. But innovation does not stop and in 2016 we will launch our first agricultural beer, made with barley grown directly on six hectares of our estate Predelli in Polpenazze “.
Types bottled (in the new format from 0.33 cl) are eight, plus productions “one shot” all to be enjoyed in the brasserie in Manerba, in via Trevisago (on the main road that links Desenzano to Salò) such as the Gamma Ray launched at Christmas, a Rye IPA with American hops and mixed with rye particularly intense on the nose and velvety in the mouth, or the raspberry beer launched last summer, a base Blanche which made a second fermentation helped by the addition of a ton of fresh raspberries.
“Our flag? Probably the Rebuffone – says Francesco Leftovers – This is a dark dubbel, 6.5 degrees, we produce with eight single malts and a Belgian yeast giving the final product a spicy note that makes it exceptional with chocolate desserts. We work very well indeed on combinations, in the belief that the beers have space to establish throughout the meal: for example the Fiordalisa is excellent with fish hors d’oeuvres. ”
But if beer is a new successful venture, we must not forget that Avanzi core business remains wine, thanks to a production of 700,000 bottles, that in addition to Valtenesi and Lugana, on Lake Garda, also covers the sparkling wine area with the DOC Franciacorta where the family is active with the Romantica winery.
“With regard to the Garda production, in 2015 we launched the new bottle that got great feedback especially in the restaurant world – explains Giovanni Avanzi –.But especially in the course of the year we changed the company name to become an agricultural reality in full: in 2016 we will work exclusively grapes of our production”.
On Lake Garda, the Avanzi lead 70 hectares of land, ten of which are olive groves, divided into five farms: Rocca in Manerba, Predelli ande Valle in Polpenazze, Montecorno in Desenzano and Bragagna in Sirmione. The driving wine is Lugana, with 250,000 bottles that in 2015 went completely exhausted already in November (expect the new bottling for the first days of February). Then there are the Groppello based reds, the Valtènesi Chiaretto, and in the Manerba you will also find Franciacorta (three types: Brut, Satèn, the all-new 2012 Millesimato Blanc de Blancs ). And then the olive oil, squeezed direclty in the company mill in two varieties: the Garda DOP, produced only with the olives of the family trees, and Estivo, with olives supplied by local farmers.
The bottle.
The Avanzi production is based inevitably on a very wide range. But perhaps the most representative label remains the Valtènesi Chiaretto Giovanni Avanzi, which bears the name of the company founder. “My grandfather with this wine began to win awards already in the 50s, and the trail continued until Mention won in 2014 at the Mondial du Rosé in Cannes – says the namesake grandson -. I think for this reason that this is the product that best represents our history, our identity, our tradition. ”
The Chiaretto Giovanni Avanzi is a “hill Chiaretto”, meaning that grapes mainly come from the estates Predelli and Valley in Polpenazze, grown on typical moraine Valtenesi soils. The prevalence of Groppello Gentile in winemaking gives this Rosè wine the stamp of uniqueness for which it is known and appreciated, as well as the delicate freshness that makes it an irreplaceable protagonist of the evenings around the lake, from the aperitif to the dinners of lake fish but also dishes with white meats. The production, 60,000 bottles, this year has been completely exhausted: wait for 14 February 2016 for the new bottling of the 2015 vintage.
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