Ever since it first opened, in 1778, La Scala has occupied a place of honor in Milanese and European society, and its initial prestige has been maintained unaltered throughout its existence, affirming its identity as the cultural heart of the city. It was founded thanks to the explicit desire of the Milanese nobility of the time, and its construction was entrusted to the architect Giuseppe Piermarini. The Theater was inaugurated August 3rd, 1778, and immediately demonstrated its capability to display the work of the foremost artists of the time. It continued to house performances through the centuries, until 2002, when it was closed temporarily to allow a radical renovation project to be completed. On December 7th, 2004, La Scala reopened following the work that restored it to its former splendor. On that occasion, Bellavista accompanied the Theater as the wine of honor at the reopening celebration. It was then that the friendship between Bellavista and La Scala began.

Like wine, music is an international language that promotes dialogue and builds friendships. We have always chosen this means of expression as the ideal vehicle for representing the world of Bellavista and its unflagging commitment to creating an extraordinary blend of energy and elegance. When, back in 2004, we were chosen to help celebrate the eagerly awaited reopening of La Scala with our wines, we were immediately conscious of the responsibility and honor of representing Italy and its noblest values. Today and every day, we raise our glasses in a toast with La Scala, to a perfect, all-Italian harmony”

FRANCESCA MORETTI

The flowers bloomed 10 days earlier, after which there was a period of intense rain, which led to a harmonious shape and growth of the bunches, already backed by an excellent wall of foliage. In the last ten days of July, the daytime temperatures increased, reaching 36°C, bringing the fruit to full maturity. Once again we were wise enough to wait, and this allowed us to obtain perfectly ripe grapes, with unusually thick skins. We began the harvest on 18th August, under a marvelously bright and sunny sky, with very high temperatures. I look back at my notes and find: “not a cloud in the sky”. These climatic conditions, definitely out of the ordinary, confirmed the unique value of the biodiversity of our 147 plots, giving the selections an outstanding aromatic and gustatory variability. The perfect window for harvesting lasted only a handful of days, and we were able to “seize the moment”: the speed with which we harvested the grapes was the main and most laborious objective of 2011. Despite the low yields, we were able to classify the musts as “musts of superior class”, with lower sugar content than the previous year, good acidity and freshness, similar to those of a particularly good year.

Natural, long-lived and above all, Italian. This is the harmonious blend of Bellavista’s vintage brut. Tradition is our cornerstone, the foundation laid by Vittorio Moretti when he adopted the ancient Marmonnier presses. The fruit of enlightened intuition, which today forms the basis of a consistent line of thought that directs all our decisions. At Bellavista, the vineyards aren’t “cultivated”, but raised, They are “trained” to live for a long time in perfect health. And these vineyards are the best: best in terms of exposure (south, south-east), best in terms of elevation and best in terms of their age. Because a long-lived vineyard brings character and style. For our “Vendemmia”, we select the best of each year’s harvest and the best of each vineyard. We thus elevate the concept of vintage through the style that characterizes Bellavista and its “savoir faire”. Because it is the difficulties that help us grow and the differences that confirm our special identity. The family of vintages is our championship squad, and above all, our historical memory, through which we create the identity of Alma Gran Cuvée. In line with this reasoning, it seemed natural, as well as thrilling, to couple the spirit of each Vendemmia Brut to the uniqueness of a Premiere that every 7th of December renews itself in the magic of an all Italian harmony.

MATTIA VEZZOLA