Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva Giuseppe Quintarelli 2015

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Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva Giuseppe Quintarelli 2015

La «cuvée»

This Amarone comes from domain Giuseppe Quintarelli which is found near Verona in the north of Italy. The cuvée is a blend of 55% Corvina, Croatina, Rondinella and Nebbiolo, 30% Sangiovese and 15% Cabernet sauvignon. After manual harvests, the grapes are placed on wooden crates in a well-aerated room. This technique is called passerillage and it takes a few months, during which time the grapes lose around 30-40% of their water, thus gaining in sugar concentration and tannins. Th grapes are then pressed and macerated with daily punching down and pumping up. Fermentation takes around 45 days in casks before a 7-year maturation in oak barrels.
In the glass, this wine has a deep, garnet red hue. It is exceptional, offering a complex bouquet of black cherry, bitter almond, liquorice, cacao, and balsamic notes. It has good volume on the palate without heaviness, and its texture is dense and concentrated. Altogether it is harmonious and racy. Serve it with a dish like duck stew or mushroom risotto.

Giuseppe Quintarelli is considered to be quite simply a legend of Italian viticulture, notably of Amarone, a globally-renowned Venetian wine. He unfortunately passed away in 2012, having spent many years managing his 12-hectare domain in the northern hills of Verona at the heart of the Valpolicella appellation. A perfectionist, this wine maker made a name for himself with his Amarone della Valpolicella Classico and his Recioto, selling his cuvées only after many years of ageing. Giuseppe's daughter Fiorenza took up the domain with her husband and two children, Francesco and Lorenzo, and a team of four works at the domain throughout the year.
The viticulture at the domain is traditional, inspired by ancestral practices. The vines are treated only when necessary (when it rains, for example), and no herbicides are used. The yields are kept to a minimum with rigorous pruning and green harvests. The grapes are picked by hand before being dried for 4 months (when destined to become Amarone). The winery has been modernised to improve the quality of the wine even further. An exceptional domain.