Serafini e Vidotto Rosso dell’Abbazia

For many winemakers, it can take decades of work to achieve a high enough stature in the Italian wine industry to command the respect of their peers. Some have to work and toil, learning everything that they possibly can about winemaking until they finally strike upon the perfect wine that represents everything about them, their land and their winemaking philosophy.

For others, the answer may come a little quicker. They achieve critical acclaim in the early days of their careers, which sets them up for commercial success and the many benefits that come with it. They explode onto the scene with a wine that nobody saw coming, and immediately taking the industry by storm.

Today’s producer falls much more into the latter category than the former. Though only in business for 30 years, there wines have been amongst the highest rated in Italy for almost two decades. Of course, this shouldn’t diminish the immense amount of work that went into that achievement either. All winemakers put everything that they have into the wines they produce.

However, today’s company is just a little bit special. We’re talking about Serafini & Vidotto, and a wine that has achieved top rankings in many of the world’s best wine guides, as well as holding a coveted 95 ranking from us at Xtrawine as well. Let’s learn a little bit more about them.

The History

As the name implies, the company was the brainchild of two people who got together with the aim of making truly exceptional wines. These men had, and still have, enormous passion for the industry. They also recognised the respect due to the land, culture, and people behind the Italian wine industry.

With that attitude firmly in place, Francesco Serafini and Antonello Vidotto decided to create their eponymous winemaking company in 1986. Both farmers and oenologists, the duo found kindred spirits in each other and made the decision to purchase a vineyard in Veneto, in an area that was renowned for its red wine long before they arrived.

The two also complement each other like the right wine and meal. Serafini is considered the face of the company. An unabashed extrovert, he is the man who talks about the company and raises its profile in both domestic and international markets. Of course, he is a talented producer in his own right, but his talents for getting people interested in his company’s products have made him critical to the growing popularity of the company. His philosophy is that local vines produce the best wines, which is something that the company has taken forward with aplomb. In more recent years, he has taken up residence in the cellar and handles all of the company’s external relationships as its spokesman and key point of contact.

By contrast, we have the more reserved Antonello Vidotto, who the company claim is the sole of the vineyard. Any expert vine grower, Vidotto has poured his experience into cultivating a variety of grapes on the company’s vineyards during its 30-year history. He brings great intelligence to the company, acting almost as the yin to the yang of Sarafini. Above all, he has a stellar knowledge of Venetian wines, and uses this understanding of the region and its products to improve the company’s offering.

Together the pair form a formidable duo that is capable of truly great thing. Each plays to their key strengths to both create great wines and ensure people hear about them. However, each also understands and has deep knowledge of the others roles too. You could argue that the company would not have been able to achieve what they have if only one of the men were present, so deep is the bond between them.

Together, the pair place a focus on innovation and ethical growing. Intelligent farming lies at the core of what they do, to the point where they are increasingly working to ensure their grapes offer no trace of man-made products. They want their customers to experience their land in its purest form, offering the true taste of Serafini & Vidotto in the process.

Since its founding, the company has owned 20 hectares, which produce some of the best grapes in the Veneto region. The duo prefer manual work to mass production, and take great pride in understanding the peak ripeness of their crop to deliver a worthwhile experience. They also only choose the best for their bottles. In fact, their yields are so low that they typically make one bottle of wine per vine.

All of this while taking into account the uniqueness of their land, its climate, and the many other forces that can influence wine production. Slowly but surely, they’re increasing the amount of wine they produce. But above all else, the duo will always place more of a focus on the quality of the grape than the quantity they can produce.

Having said all of that, we bet that you want to learn more about the wines. Serafini & Vidotto built their reputation on their Rosso dell’Abbazia, so let’s look at one of the best vintages they’ve ever produced.

Serafini e Vidotto Rosso dell’Abbazia 2012

This gorgeous red wine has achieved critical acclaim that reaches far beyond that achieved by many of its peers, and for good reason. A cursory glance of the wine as it lounges in the glass tells you that this is a wine that has been aged to perfection, but it is in the smell and taste that you will experience its true beauty.

The complex bouquet features a wide, and seemingly disparate, range of flavours. You’ll notice chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and raspberry upon closer inspection, all of which combine to produce a truly scintillating aroma.

Of course, that would mean nothing without balance. But you shouldn’t doubt this wine for a second. It has a beautiful and full flavour, achieving perfect balance between its many complex flavours. The sweet tannins add to the package, and the wine has a satisfying thickness that will leave you feeling sated, at least until you can’t resist the urge to drink more.