In the southern part of the Adige Valley, one discovers a small D.O.C. winegrowing area called Terra dei Forti (the land of the fortresses). The southern border is defined by Chiusa di Ceraino, and the northern border by Castello di Avio. This has always been a route of communication between the Mediterranean world and the Alps, which is proven by the beautiful crest of castles and fortresses along both sides of the Adige river. The valley was formed by glaciers during the Quarternary period and carved by the Adige over the course of the millennia. Today it is an area where sublime wines are produced. In a tiny village called Dolcú, situated in the province of Verona, Albino Armani produces his wines at the traditional vineyards of his family, where one finds indigenous varieties such as Foja Tonda, an ancient vine of the valley which has been saved from extinction. The otherwise tough mountain climate is made more mild by nearby Lake Garda. There are intense shifts in temperature, which, together with the constant breeze, allow the grapes to mature perfectly. The valley offers different exposures to the sun and types of soil that varie from morainic to alluvial,such that one can find the best combination of grape variety and soil. The Albino Armani vineyards actually cover 130 hectares of his own land, and production takes place at the Albino Armani wine cellar of Dolcú. This state of the art location has a surface area of 6000 square meters, comprising the wine cellar, storage area, wooden barrel cellar (barricaia), grape-drying area, tasting room, and research laboratory, where the company makes innovative breakthroughs in the science of winemaking.