In the heart of Valpolicella Classica, one of Italy's most renowned wine regions, atop the highest hill in the village of Castelrotto, stands Casa Fraccaroli, one of the area's oldest historic residences, restored to its former glory with the establishment of Castrum Wine Relais & Events.
The villa has never been sold, but has been passed down from generation to generation until its current owner, Giampiero Borghetti.
In the basement of Casa Fraccaroli is the family's 18th-century cellar, where wine was once produced and crafted entirely by hand.
Casa Fraccaroli is a true jewel of 18th-century classical Italian architecture and stands out for its majestic panoramic terrace, from which you can admire the entire Valpolicella valley and the peaks of the Lessini Mountains in a single glance.
The medieval village of Castelrotto was built in the 7th century as "Castrum Rotari," a military stronghold that over the centuries hosted important historical figures, such as King Rotari II, King Berengar, and King Frederick of Swabia (the great king of the German Empire, known as Barbarossa).
It was in Castelrotto Castle that Rotari II wrote his first edict in 643, aimed at protecting the vineyards and inflicting severe punishment on those who damaged them. Later, in 1177, again in the castle, Frederick II of Swabia issued a decree changing the name of the area from "Valle di Veriago and Val di Pruviniano" to "Valpolicella." However, it was not until May 23, 1405, with the destruction of Castrum Rotari, that the area became known and called "Castelrotto," today a hamlet of San Pietro in Cariano.
In 1805, the great sculptor Inocenzo Fraccaroli, known as "the Canova of Verona," was born in the Fraccaroli residence. He created works of immense value that today are found in Italian museums such as Verona, Milan, and Florence, as well as in European museums.
A student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, he won the Grand Prize for Sculpture from the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in 1829.
Castrum Wine Relais has selected five of Innocenzo Fraccaroli's statues and, drawing inspiration from them, has created:
- the "Fraccaroli Signature Cocktails" cocktail line, available in our Wine Bar & Bistro;
- the "Castrum Platinum Collection" wine line;
- five Art Luxury Suites at Casa Fraccaroli, each featuring murals depicting the statues and a décor style that tells the story of the character depicted.
