26 june 2025
Villa Della Torre and Palazzo Te: Amarone ‘Camera del Sole e della Luna’ and the ‘Green Lizard Game’ celebrate their alliance
Mantua, 26 June 2025 – The bond between Villa Della Torre and Fondazione Palazzo Te continues to grow, evolve and strengthen.
On the one hand, there is the marvellous residence built by the Della Torre family at the end of the 15th century and beginning of the 16th century. It is now owned by the Mastella Allegrini family. On the other hand, there is the splendid Gonzaga palace, which is widely recognised as one of the finest examples of a Mannerist suburban Renaissance villa.
These two masterpieces, located in Fumane in the province of Verona, at the heart of the Valpolicella Classica, and in Mantua respectively, have had their historical and architectural fortunes intertwined due to the genius of Giulio Romano. The two palaces share many historical and artistic similarities, such as the perspective of the spaces outside the façades, the use of rustication, the fishponds, and the references to the grotesque.
The aim is to offer a new perspective on these two monuments, providing local tourists with an alternative route that effectively shortens the distance between Mantua and Verona while showcasing Italian cultural heritage in a new light.
In the year of the 500th anniversary of Palazzo Te, this narrative begins a new chapter in its history: “Renewing the alliance with Villa Della Torre and announcing its further development in this anniversary year means recognizing the strength and beauty of our shared journey, combining forces and ideas for the wonderful heritage of Italian culture and beauty that we have the honor of sharing,” says Stefano Baia Curioni, Director of Palazzo Te.
There are two new developments. The first is an evolution of the wine project that, in recent years, has featured Villa Della Torre – a Renaissance monument and the winery of the Marilisa Allegrini Group – on two limited-edition wines: Valpolicella Classico Superiore and Lugana. These wines are adorned with frescoes from the Chamber of the Giants and the Chamber of Cupid and Psyche in Palazzo Te. A limited edition Amarone, the wine that symbolizes Valpolicella and Verona, dedicated to the Camera del Sole e della Luna (Chamber of the Sun and the Moon), completes the range.
“Villa Della Torre has always been a place of experimentation and storytelling. This Amarone, dedicated to Palazzo Te and made with grapes from the villa’s orchard, is a tribute to our shared vision and appreciation of beauty. Amarone is unique by nature, a product born of the long process of ‘appassimento’ (partial grape drying) that characterizes Valpolicella and tells its story. It is a great joy for us once again to see how the fruit of the earth and winemaking expertise intertwine with the power of art. This project highlights the special bond between art and wine, two expressions of our national identity around the world” comments Marilisa Allegrini (Order of Merit for Labour).
There are two collectible labels that distinguish the limited edition. The first label, which is on the 0.75L bottle, features a section of the vaulted ceiling of the Camera del Sole e della Luna (Chamber of the Sun and the Moon). The vaulted ceiling of this room has sails decorated with 192 lozenges and triangles at the edges of the composition, which have stucco reliefs on a sky-blue background depicting men, animals, and emblems. The second label, which characterizes the larger formats (1.5L and 3L), features the marvelous fresco on the central vault of the room of the same name. This fresco depicts the allegory of the chariot of the Sun at sunset and the Moon rising, which is a metaphor for the constant passing of time. According to tradition, Giulio Romano’s most brilliant pupil, Francesco Primaticcio from Bologna, painted the fresco.
Once again, wine is an icon and becomes a powerful communication tool, capable of recounting art, architecture, history, territory, and productive culture. It blends tangible and intangible cultural heritage in a harmonious way.
The second new feature is an artistic project designed to further connect the two places. The artist Flaminia Veronesi was commissioned to create a board game that symbolically recreates and traverses Palazzo Te and Villa Della Torre. The result is the ‘Gioco del Ramarro’ (The Green Lizard Game), which is based on the typical structure of the Game of the Goose and leads participants from one place to another. The game’s name is intrinsically linked to the history of Palazzo Te, as the ramarro (green lizard) appears repeatedly throughout the palace and was chosen by Federico II Gonzaga to conceal a secret message related to his tumultuous love affair.
To celebrate the occasion, chef Carlo Cracco prepared a dinner in the ‘Cortile d'Onore’ of Palazzo Te to accompany the tasting of all three wines from the project. The Allegrini family has enjoyed a long-standing friendship with Chef Cracco, as evidenced by the fact that his restaurant, Ristorante Cracco in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele (1 Michelin star), will be the first Italian restaurant to feature the presented wines on its wine list.
“It was a pleasure to cook in a magical place like Palazzo Te. Each dish was perfectly paired with a carefully selected wine. I presented some of my most iconic dishes, such as egg and caramelized Russian salad. "I have a relationship of esteem and friendship with Marilisa and her family that has lasted for years, so I always accept their invitations with pleasure”, said Chef Carlo Cracco.
Below are the four courses, with their wine pairings, that were the stars of the dinner:
- Uovo in nero: soft egg, crispy bread, black truffle almond cream and caviar paired with Villa Della Torre and Palazzo Te, ‘Camera di Amore e Psiche’, Lugana DOC 2024;
- Short macaroni with a creamy garden-vegetable sauce, smoked butter and gremolada paired with Villa Della Torre and Palazzo Te, ‘Camera dei Giganti’, Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC 2022;
- Roast pigeon breast with Italian sauce paired with Villa Della Torre and Palazzo Te, ‘Camera del Sole e della Luna’ (Sun and Moon Room), Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2021;
- Cocoa, chocolate and passion fruit biscuit paired with Poggio al Tesoro, Teos, Petit Manseng IGT 2016.
“I believe the word that best expresses our collaboration with Fondazione Palazzo Te is 'wonder.' Marveling at the expressive power of Giulio Romano and his school and the similarities and differences between the two palaces was the focus of it all, even before that. That is why it was only natural to ask Flaminia Veronesi – to whom we extend our heartfelt thanks for her dedication to the project – to design a game that would bring them together and recount the story of the territory that connects them. It is an invitation to look at the geometries, symbols, and allegories of these two extraordinary places with new eyes”, explains Caterina Sofia Mastella Allegrini, vice president of the Marilisa Allegrini Group and marketing and communications director of Villa Della Torre.
“The area between the hills of Valpolicella and the lakes of Mantua is an unparalleled example of the coexistence of human activity and the force of nature. Interspersed with hills, vineyards, lakes, and rivers, this space is a testament to the harmony between humans and nature. Geographically, this landscape is contained between two vertices: Villa Della Torre and Palazzo Te, which face each other across the landscape. The Game, created by Flaminia Veronesi, is a painting that highlights the landscapes connecting the two sites through stories, characters from the unconscious, mythical references, monsters, and beauty. It’s a game through which to dream and learn”, comments Stefano Baia Curioni.
“I would like to thank Palazzo Te and Villa Della Torre for asking me to find a way to connect these two extraordinary places, where art, myth, and wonder have coexisted and intertwined for centuries. Ever since I was a child, I have interpreted life as a giant ‘Game of the Goose’ or ‘Snakes and Ladders’. I have dedicated my artistic research to play, imagination, and wonder. Playing is a serious act that requires courage, opens the imagination, and trains us to marvel and change. The green lizard, a symbol of love and transformation, accompanies players on a journey where every step is an opportunity for discovery. Playing with your imagination is the first step to changing the world”, says Flaminia Veronesi.
