Acclaimed Winemaker Joins Emilia-Romagna Leader in First-Ever Lambrusco Project
February 25th – Venturini Baldini, premium Italian sparkling wine producer based in Emilia-Romagna, is proud to announce that Riccardo Cotarella has officially joined its winemaking team as Consulting Winemaker. Riccardo Cotarella will take on the role previously held by Carlo Ferrini who has acted as Venturini Baldini’s Consulting Winemaker for the last five years. Bringing decades of wine experience and expertise in Italian winemaking, Cotarella and his team led by Pier Paolo Chiasso will work alongside the longstanding team at Venturini Baldini to produce the winery’s 100% organic Lambrusco wines. Further, Venturini Baldini is the first winery specializing in Lambrusco that Cotarella will work on as winemaker.
Over the past five years, the beautiful estate that is based on a 321-acre property in the food valley of Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy has been elevated to new heights through the ownership of Julia and Giuseppe Prestia. As Lambrusco has enjoyed a recent revitalization, Venturini Baldini has increased the profile of its core offerings including Lambrusco wines like Montelocco, Rubino del Cerro, Marchese Manodori and the popular Cadelvento rosé – all of which have received critical acclaim in 2020.
“We are delighted to begin working with Riccardo and his team to continue our commitment to excellence in the vineyards as we introduce more people to the high quality of our Lambrusco. His reputation and experience in winemaking are outstanding, and we feel very honored and excited about this new chapter in the life of Venturini Baldini,” says Julia Prestia, “We would also be remiss if we did not thank Carlo Ferrini for his crucial guidance over the last five years under our ownership of Venturini Baldini. His partnership has been invaluable to our operation.”
Cotarella is a renowned winemaker with more than 50 years of winemaking experience in wineries across all Italian regions and around the world, having consulted in France, Spain, Israel, Russia, the United States, Japan, and Romania. As Consulting Winemaker, Cotarella and his team will work alongside Venturini Baldini’s in-house winemakers to continue the winery’s path to excellence, beginning with the 2020 vintage. “I am very excited to take on this new challenge with the wines of Venturini Baldini. Lambrusco has great potential. My team’s and my passion and professionalism will be at the disposal of Venturini Baldini so it may reach its desired results,” says Cotarella.
For more information about Venturini Baldini, please visit venturinibaldini.it and follow us on Instagram at @venturini_baldini.
