CORTE BRAVI
Corte Bravi is a small, family-run estate in Gargagnago, in the heart of Valpolicella Classica in Veneto, Italy, run by brothers Andrea and Ivano Brunelli. The winery sits in a narrow valley shaped by the Lessinia mountains to the north, Lake Garda to the west, the Soave zone to the east, and the city of Verona to the south. Evening mountain breezes move through the valley during the growing season, helping preserve freshness and balance in the grapes.
The property was purchased in 1990 by the brothers’ father — the youngest of seven siblings — who began restoring terraces, rebuilding traditional dry-stone walls, and planting vineyards. Over the following two decades, the family worked the land together, gradually developing the vineyards and cellar. In 2011, Andrea and Ivano founded Corte Bravi and began bottling wines under their own label.
Today, the estate covers 4.5 hectares of south-facing vineyards trained in the traditional pergola Veronese system. Pergola is used because the canopy protects the bunches from sunburn, while the height reduces humidity due to the increased airflow within the canopy. The vineyards are planted primarily to Corvina, Corvinone, Oseleta, and Molinara, with smaller plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines are farmed organically, receiving certification in 2015 and, increasingly, with the use of biodynamic preparations to reduce the need for copper and sulfur. Biodiversity is encouraged through natural ground cover and habitat preservation. Annual production is approximately 35,000 bottles.
Corte Bravi produces traditional regional wines including Amarone della Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico, and Recioto, alongside more experimental bottlings such as Timido, a white wine vinified from red grapes and Vivace, a pét-nat rosato. All wines are made from estate-grown grapes using spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, minimal sulphur, no additives, and bottled without fining or filtration. Stainless steel tanks are used for fermentations while aging takes place in a mixture of stainless steel, used wood barrels and amphorae produced from clay sourced from nearby quarries. Since 2019, the winery has been a member of the Vinnatur association. In 2020, Corte Bravi transitioned to fully renewable electricity, combining its own photovoltaic system with energy supplied by neighboring farms .
The farm is home to chickens, a Labrador named Raja, and Pascal, a Vietnamese pig — part of the everyday life that surrounds the vineyards. Andrea and Ivano continue to manage both vineyard and cellar directly, focused on producing natural wines that reflect their land, their farming, and the Valpolicella territory.
