Wine grapes are some of the most complex and interesting biological organisms with varied DNA. They have everything needed to make a vast array of styles and flavors of wine. St. Julian is introducing and planting new varieties all the time. Like one of the newest additions to the 90 grape varieties St. Julian harvests: Verona.

Varietal wines always display certain qualities which are inherent in the grape’s personality. Introduced in 2015, Verona is an American hybrid grape that was developed for cold hardiness, frost resistance, and excellent wine quality. The grape offers high tannins, allowing for full-bodied red wines. Flavors are dominated by raspberry that change to blackberry, tobacco, and cocoa.

Verona means “truth” in Italian and is the city of rich Roman antiquities and culture, having a special place in the hearts of the St. Julian family. Apollo and Julia Braganini (grandparents of current St. Julian President, Apollo Braganini II and parents of previous President, John Braganini) were frequent visitors to Italy. Both were Italian-American immigrants who spoke Italian as their first language.

Most of their travels to Italy were in the North to see their family still living there. Julia and Apollo loved Apollo’s hometown of Porpetto but spent most of their time in Venice and Verona, as they preferred the excitement and cultural variety of the larger Italian cities. As John Braganini remembers “My parents enjoyed a rich, rewarding marriage and they were fascinated with the story of Romeo and Juliet, only adding to the allure of Verona. It was their favorite Italian city and they often returned bearing gifts of Northern Italian fare.”

St. Julian’s first bottling of this single varietal wine is the Braganini Reserve Verona, which is a sweet Ice-d style wine. The sugars were concentrated by freezing the juice and removing the water, intensifying the sweetness and flavors. The result is a luscious, deep, sweet wine at 18.9% RS. Plans for future Verona wines will also be on the dry side and reminiscent of the Valpolicella wines of Veneto, Italy.