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Monteforte: some historical notes

When you see a tall thin white bell tower appearing out of a green sea of vineyards, then you’ve found Monteforte lying in the heart of the Soave Classico white wine growing area.

Monteforte lies at the southernmost end of the Alpone valley (Val d’Alpone). Around it there are 1900 hectares of agricultural land, 1500 of which are laid to vineyards This makes it the town with the highest density of vine growing in the Veneto Region, and perhaps also in Italy. A centuries old relationship ties man to the surrounding land, nearly all dedicated to vine growing, even to the point of working the steepest slopes of the hills, as it is right here on this kind of land where the Garganega grape gives of its best, resulting in good quality wines.

Monteforte itself: Probably the village gets its name from Roman times when it served as a vantage point for protecting the Via Postumia and then later from the 10th Century when there was a castle here to defend the area from raids from the Magyars. The small church dedicated to Saint Anthony the Abbot (Patron saint of Monteforte) now stands on the few remains that there are of the castle.
The village was first a fief under the Count of Sambonifacio, and then in 1207 in exchange for rights of tenure over Legnago, Tregnago and a few other places Monteforte came under the control of the Bishop of Verona and remained so up until 1705.

Up to the Napoleonic times the town remained under the jurisdiction of the Bishop, who nominated a Vicar who was responsible for justice and also for supervising the administration of the community. In 1810 Monteforte became the main town of the VIII Canton, and then included the outlying villages of Brognoligo and Costalunga which before that had been autonomous Comunes from the 1200s.

For those approaching Monteforte along the main road leading up the valley, the view is wonderful: a group of houses lying in a green hollow variegated in spring with the delicate white blossom of almond and cherry trees. Naturally, given its position in the heart of vine growing country, the greatest economic resource of Monteforte comes from agriculture and obviously from vine growing in particular. In the last few years, however, there has also been an increase in light industry above all in the textiles and clothing sector.