Storia
Family origins
I Castei belongs to the family-run portfolio of Castellani Michele & Figli. The underlying winery was founded by Michele Castellani in Valgatara in 1945, initially operating as a small winemaking workshop. It subsequently expanded through investment in vineyards and production equipment.
Present management
Sergio Castellani now leads the family business together with his family, continuing the winemaking activity begun by his father. His stated approach joins established Valpolicella practices with modern production technology. Sergio also personally created the Sergio – Rosso Veronese IGT included in the I Castei range.
I Castei today
I Castei is presented as a distinct range alongside Cà Del Pipa. Its current catalogue encompasses Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Recioto della Valpolicella Classico, a traditional-method sparkling wine, two Veronese IGT reds and the Campo Casalin Amarone.
Terroir
The I Castei range is rooted in Valpolicella Classica. Production descriptions consistently identify clay and limestone soils for its still red wines.
The named Castei vineyard has favorable exposure, continuous ventilation and balanced soils. These conditions are managed in conjunction with variety-specific training systems and planting densities. The winery itself is in Valgatara, within Marano di Valpolicella.
Vinificazione
The wider family estate's vineyards are planted mainly to simple pergola, with some areas trained to Guyot. The principal varieties are Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara.
Management is adapted to each grape variety through the choice of training system and planting density. Selective pruning and summer thinning regulate vine growth and crop load. Harvest timing is determined by both phenolic and aromatic maturity, with the objective of bringing fully expressive fruit into the cellar. Grapes destined for key dried-grape wines are carefully selected during harvest and placed in crates for transfer to the drying rooms.
I Castei production combines established Valpolicella techniques with modern cellar equipment. Grape selection is treated as the first quality-control stage, while the cellar team supervises the sequence from harvest through drying and maturation. Appassimento wines are made from selected bunches placed in crates and rested in dedicated fruit-drying rooms, concentrating the grapes before destemming, pressing and slow fermentation.
The cellar contains both barriques and large oak casks. Wines rest in dedicated maturation rooms to develop their intended structure and aromatic profile. Depending on the style, the range also employs roller crushing and destemming, maceration with pumping over, separation and pressing of pomace, malolactic fermentation, cleaning rackings, stabilization and bottling. Ripasso production includes refermentation on Amarone pomace.
The traditional-method sparkling wine undergoes an initial fermentation followed by a period in oak barriques. Its cuvées are assembled with selected yeast and raw cane sugar for a second fermentation in horizontally stored bottles. Rémuage moves the yeast sediment to the neck, after which the bottles are disgorged manually à la volée.
Filosofia
The family's declared objective is to pursue quality through careful grape selection and direct control of every production stage, particularly harvest, drying and maturation. Tradition and innovation are treated as complementary: classic Valpolicella practices remain central, while modern equipment is used to support precision and consistency.
Sergio Castellani describes his role as carrying forward the passion begun by his father while bringing tradition and innovation together in each bottle. The wines are intended to express their territory through a contemporary interpretation rather than through the abandonment of established methods.