Oasi Musella is a natural park located in San Martino Buon Albergo, in the province of Verona, considered one of the most extraordinary landscape complexes in the Veneto Region. Thanks to its more than 300 hectares, it offers a remarkable biodiversity characterized by forests, streams, vineyards, olive groves, churches, and housing, making it a unique natural park. Walking along the paths of the Musella, you will notice that the forest is mainly made up of shrubs and low trees, due to the shallow nature of the ground and the deforestation that took place during the Second World War to provide wood.
The Oasis houses an aristocratic villa that belonged to the Muselli family of Verona, to whom the Oasis owes its name. They were the owners and promoters of transforming the rural residence into a summer residence between 1600 and 1700. The 16th-century farmhouse has been transformed into a stately residence through the complete renovation of the exterior of the garden, with a 17th-century Italian-style aviary and several fountains, and the interior of the villa’s most representative rooms.
The Muselli family had to abandon the property in 1861, when Marquise Matilde Muselli inherited her husband’s debts and the entire estate was sold at auction.
The work was completed in later periods. So, we had to wait until the middle of the 19th century to learn about the winemaking tradition in this area, started by the inspired and passionate Cesare Trezza of Musella. The knight Luigi Trezza succeeded in acquiring it and asked the architect Giacomo Franco to complete the restoration of the villa begun by the Musellis. Many styles can be seen in the villa, from the neo-Romanesque, neo-Gothic, and arabesque elements in the oratory and bell tower, to the neo-Renaissance in the west, characterized by twelve statues of Roman emperors. The beauty of the rooms inside the villa is also undisputed, with the ground floor decorated with 17th-century mythological themes and the second floor with a cycle of 18th-century frescoes.
LAND/CLIMATE
The acquisition of our land in Oasi Musella dates back to 1998 and is considered the first major acquisition for Cantina Sabatini. This unprecedented acquisition doubled the commitment of father Angelo and son Adolfo, who had to divide their efforts, energy, and time between the vineyard in the hills of Illasi and that of Oasi Musella. The work was very hard and aimed to transform a wooded land into a vineyard. (photo Guido Pigozzi before/after).
Now our estate in Oasi Musella has a history of no less than 30 years and is situated at an altitude of 50-100 metres with a northeast, southern exposure. The soil is particularly suited to the growth of the vines. It is calcareous and clayey and gives the wine freshness, complexity, and longevity.
The structure used for our vines is the Veronese pergola, which can best support the Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara, and Pinot Grigio vines.
THE WINES OF MUSELLA OASIS
The two characteristics that best describe the wines from this area are freshness and fruity aromas.
The wines we make from these grapes are:
- Pinot Grigio Garda DOC: pale straw-yellow, with hints of white flowers and typical fruity notes reminiscent of pears.
After crushing and destemming the grapes, the wine ferments at a controlled temperature of around 16-18°C in stainless steel tanks to preserve its freshness and intense flavor, an excellent wine to pair with appetizers, particularly suitable with fish and white meats.
- Rosé Spumante Brut: fruity and delicate with a bright pink color. Molinara grapes are harvested in September to preserve a good and important freshness and acidity. The crushing and destemming of the milling grapes takes place at a controlled temperature between 16-18°C, it ages in stainless steel tanks for about 3 months in contact with fine lees and yeasts. It is then sparkling in an autoclave for about 60 days. Its fine perlage is great for aperitifs, fresh dishes and fish.
- Corvina Veronese: young red wine, fruity ruby red with violet reflections. The harvest of Corvina grapes takes place in October when the perfect phenolic ripening is achieved. After crushing and destemming, maceration and fermentation are carried out at a controlled temperature of 22-26 C for 8-10 days. It is then soft-pressed and aged in stainless steel tanks until bottled, a wine that pairs perfectly with tasty first courses, all kinds of meat, and cheeses.
- Valpolicella DOC: a young, fruity red wine with aromatic notes; deep ruby red, it has a fine, spicy bouquet with notes of small red fruits and cherries. Its grapes are harvested manually during October to achieve perfect phenolic ripeness. After crushing and destemming, maceration and fermentation are carried out at a controlled temperature of 22-26 C for 8-10 days. This is followed by soft pressing and refinement in stainless steel tanks until bottling. It is an excellent wine to pair with tasty first courses, red meats, and cheeses.
Would you like to know more about our Pinot Grigio Garda DOC?
Riccardo explains it better in his interview, good vision!
