What Zenato does

Zenato Azienda Vitivinicola S.r.l. is a privately held, family-owned Italian winery founded in 1960 by Sergio Zenato in San Benedetto di Lugana, currently led by the third generation under Alberto and Nadia Zenato. The company controls nearly 100 hectares of vineyards across four estates spanning three premium Italian wine appellations: Tenuta Santa Cristina in Lugana (producing the iconic white wines including Lugana DOC Riserva Sergio Zenato and Metodo Classico Brut sparkling), Tenuta Costalunga in Valpolicella Classica (35 hectares producing Amarone Classico DOCG Riserva Sergio Zenato, Ripassa, and Alanera IGT), Sansonina near Sirmione on Lower Garda (13 hectares focused on spontaneous fermentation and experimental underwater aging), and Podere Prospero in Bolgheri, Tuscany (acquired in 2003 for Bolgheri DOC Rosso and olive oil).

The portfolio spans 25+ products across white wines, reds, sparkling wines (Metodo Classico), dessert wines (Recioto, Rigoletto Passito), spirits (Grappa di Amarone, Grappa di Lugana), olive oils (Tuscany DOP BIO, Veneto Valpolicella DOP), and balsamic vinegar. Production relies on traditional methods including appassimento grape drying for Amarone, classic-method sparkling production with Trebbiano di Lugana and Pinot Nero, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts at Sansonina, and experimental underwater aging in the Venetian Lagoon. Sustainability is formalized via Equalitas certification (since 2021), Biodiversity Friend monitoring, and organic certification at Sansonina (2023).

Zenato monetizes through three channels: direct-to-consumer wine sales via the Wine Club membership program and Wine Shop at Peschiera del Garda headquarters (e-commerce at wineclub.zenato.it with subscription-style annual membership offering early access to rare vintages); experiential wine tourism across four estates (Classic Tour €40/person, Premium Tour €80/person, Tailor Made); and global wholesale distribution supplying international markets. Customer segments are individual wine enthusiasts and collectors (primary) and wine tourists visiting the Lake Garda region (secondary). The company has earned hundreds of international awards across major competitions (Gambero Rosso, James Suckling, Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Vinitaly) dating from 1990 to 2024.

Name

Zenato

Legal name

Zenato Azienda Vitivinicola S.r.l.

Website

https://zenato.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zenato is a privately held, family-owned Italian winery founded in 1960, producing premium DOC/DOCG wines across four estates in Lugana, Valpolicella Classica, and Bolgheri, distributed globally and through a Wine Club and wine tourism program targeting wine enthusiasts and collectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wines (Italian premium DOC/DOCG winemaking)

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Wineries (31213), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Italian wine production
• Amarone wine
• Lugana wine
• Valpolicella wines
• Wine tourism experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Peschiera Del Garda

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through Wine Club membership and Wine Shop at the Peschiera del Garda headquarters. Wines are sold at various price points including iconic labels like Amarone and entry-level Lugana wines.
2. Wine Tourism and Experiences: Paid winery tours, tastings, and bespoke experiences at multiple estates. Revenue from Classic Tours (€40), Premium Tours (€80), and Tailor Made experiences with food pairings.
3. Wine Club Membership: Subscription-style membership providing early access to rare collections and vintages, exclusive content, priority event access, and personalized consultancy for wine enthusiasts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Zenato is a family-owned Italian winery producing and selling premium wines from three regions—Lugana, Valpolicella Classica, and Bolgheri—across four estates (Santa Cristina, Costalunga, Sansonina, Podere Prospero) covering nearly 100 hectares. The portfolio includes DOC/DOCG-classified white wines, sparkling wines (Metodo Classico), red wines (Amarone, Ripassa), dessert wines, plus complementary products such as olive oils, grappas, and balsamic vinegar. The winery also operates a subscription-based Wine Club and paid on-site wine tourism experiences.

Product overview

Zenato is an Italian winery (Zenato Azienda Vitivinicola S.r.l.) producing iconic wines from the Lugana, Valpolicella, and Bolgheri regions. The portfolio includes over 25 distinct products across multiple categories: white wines (Lugana DOC variants including Massoni, San Benedetto, Riserva Sergio Zenato, Sansonina, Fermentazione Spontanea, and Sansonina in Laguna), sparkling wines (Lugana DOC Metodo Classico Brut, Rosé DOC Metodo Classico Brut), red wines (Amarone Classico DOCG variants including Riserva Sergio Zenato and Archivio Storico, Ripassa, Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Alanera IGT, Bolgheri DOC Rosso, Evaluna, La Sansonina Merlot), dessert wines (Recioto, Rigoletto Passito), spirits (Grappa di Amarone, Grappa di Lugana), olive oils (Tuscany DOP BIO, Veneto Valpolicella DOP), and balsamic vinegar. The winery operates four estates: Tenuta Santa Cristina in Lugana, Tenuta Costalunga in Valpolicella Classica, Sansonina in Lower Garda, and Podere Prospero in Bolgheri. Beyond wine production, Zenato offers a Wine Club membership program, wine tourism experiences (tours and tastings), and the Zenato Academy cultural program focused on photography and wine culture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Santa Cristina: Estate in Lugana producing white wines including Lugana DOC Massoni, Chardonnay Garda DOC, Cabernet Sauvignon Garda DOC, Lugana DOC San Benedetto, Lugana DOC Riserva Sergio Zenato, and Lugana DOC Metodo Classico Brut.
• Tenuta Costalunga
• Sansonina
• Podere Prospero
• Zenato Academy
• Zenato Wine Club

Products and services

• Lugana DOC Massoni 100% Trebbiano di Lugana white wine from Santa Cristina estate, presenting bright straw yellow with greenish reflections, with lively aromas of fresh grape, peach, cedar, grapefruit, and exotic pineapple notes.
• Chardonnay Garda DOC Chardonnay white wine from the Lower Garda area, presenting bright straw yellow with aromas of hawthorn and cherry blossoms, green apple, apricot, and subtle nutty notes.
• Cabernet Sauvignon Garda DOC Red wine from over 30-year-old vineyards at Santa Cristina estate, with rich and persistent aromas of ripe red fruit, jam, spices, vanilla, and subtle herbaceous notes.
• Lugana DOC San Benedetto White wine produced from the best grapes from San Benedetto estate in the heart of the most renowned zone of the denomination, south of Lake Garda, distinguished for freshness and aromatic complexity.
• Lugana DOC Riserva Sergio Zenato Reserve Lugana wine from the Massoni estate, where the oldest vines and a slightly late harvest give the grapes extraordinary aromatic expressiveness, presenting bright gold color with broad and refined perfume.
• Lugana DOC Metodo Classico Brut Classic method sparkling wine made from Trebbiano di Lugana, an elegant interpretation showcasing the versatility of Trebbiano di Lugana capable of expressing freshness and finesse in sparkling form with fine, persistent perlage.
• Alanera IGT Modern red wine combining native Valpolicella grape varieties (Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella) with a small percentage of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, where all grapes undergo slight drying (appassimento) to enrich structure and amplify aromatic complexity.
• Amarone Classico della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva Sergio Zenato Amarone from the highest quality vineyards, produced only from plots where agronomists and winemakers recognize absolute excellence. Corvina and Rondinella grapes from the oldest vineyards, aged nearly 5 years in Slavonian oak barrels.
• Amarone Classico della Valpolicella DOCG Archivio Storico Tribute to an excellent vintage, produced from a special barrel chosen to tell the longevity of Amarone and the bond with Valpolicella Classica, limited to 2,500 bottles and 200 numbered Magnum bottles, with the label returning every ten years.
• Amarone Classico della Valpolicella DOCG Zenato's first interpretation of the Amarone denomination, marking the beginning of their journey in Valpolicella, produced in the municipality of Sant'Ambrogio in the classic Valpolicella zone.
• Valpolicella DOC Ripasso Superiore Ripassa After Amarone fermentation, the best selection of Valpolicella ripassa (passes over) its pomace, initiating a second fermentation that enriches structure, color, and aromas, aged in French oak for 18-20 months.
• Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC Produced from fresh grapes harvested in Valpolicella Classica, born from careful processing that enhances the most authentic personality of the Valpolicella denomination.
• Lugana DOC Sansonina Biological expression from the Sansonina estate, produced from historic vineyards over 65 years old, capable of giving a unique voice to the territory.
• Evaluna Garda DOC Bordeaux-style red blend produced in a territory famous for Lugana, paying homage to the red wine tradition of the area where Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were once cultivated.
• Merlot Garda DOC La Sansonina Red wine born from the desire of Nadia Zenato and her mother Carla, expressing a dream begun in 1997 to produce a great red wine in a land today known for its whites, made at the Sansonina estate.
• La Sansonina IGT Merlot Limited Edition Limited edition red wine selected from the best harvests capable of expressing the complexity and depth required for long aging, aged for six years at the Sansonina estate.
• Lugana DOC – Sansonina in Laguna 2021 Special edition of Lugana from Fermentazione Spontanea 2021, aged for sixteen months submerged at 6-8 meters depth in the calm waters of the Venetian Lagoon, limited to 100 magnum bottles.
• Lugana DOC Fermentazione Spontanea Spontaneous fermentation white wine with indigenous yeasts marking a turning point for the Sansonina winery, representing a more natural approach that became reality with organic certification in 2023.
• Bolgheri DOC Rosso Red wine from the Bolgheri estate in Tuscany, expressing intense color and a noble, rich nose with notes of sage, spices, and a vegetative touch characteristic of the Bolgherese terroir.
• Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva Toscana DOP BIO (Pretto dei Pagi) Extra virgin olive oil from the Bolgheri estate, obtained from Frantoio, Leccino, and Moraiolo olives, worked with care to preserve purity and elegance.
• Rosé DOC Metodo Classico Brut Classic method sparkling rosé wine from Pinot Nero, produced in Lower Lake Garda where the mild climate and thermal variations softened by the water enable elegant sparkling wine production.
• Soave Classico DOC Colombara White wine produced in the classic Soave zone in the Colombara area, where volcanic soils alternate with limestone outcrops giving freshness and complexity.
• Alberto Rosso del Veneto IGT Red wine created in 1997 to celebrate the thirtieth birthday of Alberto Zenato, the result of a personal selection that renews every ten years with the best blend.
• Grappa di Amarone Grappa distilled from Amarone wine pomace.
• Grappa di Lugana Grappa distilled from Lugana wine pomace.
• Condimento all'Aceto Balsamico di Modena Balsamic vinegar condiment from Modena.
• Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva Veneto Valpolicella DOP Extra virgin olive oil from Veneto Valpolicella DOP.
• Rigoletto Bianco Passito Veneto IGT Passito (sweet) white wine from Veneto produced from dried grapes.
• Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG Classico Classic sweet Recioto wine from Valpolicella, produced from dried grapes.
• Zenato Wine Club Membership Subscription-based exclusive membership club offering early access to rare collections and vintages, private tastings and tailored experiences, exclusive content, priority invitations to Zenato Academy events, and personalized wine consultancy.
• Zenato Wine Tours and Tastings Paid wine tourism experiences at Zenato's estates including Classic Tour (1.5 hours, 4 wine tastings with food pairings, €40 per person), Premium Tour (2 hours, 5 iconic wines with paired foods, €80 per person), and Tailor Made Tours for customized experiences at S. Cristina, Costalunga, and Sansonina estates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sustainability certified under Equalitas standard since 2021
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Apicoltura UrbanaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with Apicoltura Urbana on the BEE OUR FRIEND project at Tenuta Costalunga in Valpolicella. The project installed an apiary with 250,000 bees in the wooded area of the estate to promote biodiversity, produce honey, and contribute to ESG and SDG targets and CSRD directive compliance.
• Save GuineaminorOthersLong-standing support for the international charitable initiative Save Guinea, which operates alongside Franciscan missions in Guinea-Bissau. The program, led by Father Michael, focuses on health, education, water access, and essential community needs. Zenato supports this initiative as part of social responsibility beyond their territory.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gaja: Gaja is a prestigious family-owned Italian winery renowned for Barbaresco and Barolo. Like Zenato, it is a multi-generational family estate with global premium distribution, DTC and fine wine focus, and exceptionally high critic scores, though it is concentrated in Piedmont rather than Veneto/Tuscany.
• Planeta Winery: Planeta is a family-owned premium Italian winery with multi-regional presence across Sicily and other regions. It is comparable to Zenato as a multi-generational family estate with global premium distribution, sustainability focus, and wine tourism offerings, though based in southern Italy.
• Bertani Domains: Bertani is a long-established Valpolicella wine producer famous for its Amarone Classico. It shares Zenato's focus on Valpolicella DOC and Amarone DOCG production, traditional winemaking, and family ownership, with comparable premium positioning and global recognition.
• Speri Viticoltori: Speri is a family-run Valpolicella Classica estate producing traditional-style Amarone. Like Zenato, it operates a single-region-focused premium Valpolicella portfolio with family stewardship, multi-generational heritage, and a strong reputation in Amarone DOCG.
• Tommasi Viticoltori: Tommasi is a family-owned Valpolicella winery producing Amarone, Ripasso, and other Veneto wines. Comparable to Zenato as a multi-generational family estate in the Valpolicella region, with similar premium portfolio and global distribution.
• Masi Agricola: Masi Agricola is a leading Amarone della Valpolicella producer and a publicly listed Italian wine group. It is the most directly comparable Valpolicella-focused family winery to Zenato, with similar Amarone expertise, multi-region Italian presence, and global distribution, though at larger scale.
• Allegrini: Allegrini is a historic family-owned Valpolicella estate renowned for its Amarone and Recioto wines. Like Zenato, it focuses on premium Valpolicella reds with family stewardship, global distribution, and accolades from major wine critics; both compete in the same Amarone premium segment.

Broad incumbents

• Marchesi Antinori: Antinori is one of Italy's largest and oldest wine dynasties, with a multi-regional portfolio including Tuscan estates (Tignanello) and other Italian wine regions. It is comparable to Zenato in family stewardship, multi-region presence, and global premium distribution, but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Marchesi de' Frescobaldi: Frescobaldi is a major Italian wine group with multi-regional estates across Tuscany and other regions. It shares Zenato's multi-region Italian premium portfolio approach, family heritage, and global distribution reach, but operates at significantly larger scale with a broader brand portfolio.
• Banfi Vintners: Banfi is a major Italian-American wine producer with estates in Tuscany and Piedmont. It is comparable to Zenato in premium Italian wine production and global distribution, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint as a larger industry incumbent.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Zenatowinery
• Instagraminstagram.com/zenatowinery
• Xx.com/zenatowinery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zenatowinery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zenato