Welcome in Valpolicella
Valpolicella is an area in northern Italy, located in the western part of Veneto, between Verona and Lake Garda. It is one of the most famous and prestigious enological panoramas of Italy: land of great historical, gastronomical and enological richness. It has been committed to agriculture since ancient times, as the etymology of the name suggests: Vallis-polis-cellae (Valley of the many wine cellars).
The specific composition of the land, the soil of flood origin and the mild weather allowed the development of some autochthonous grapes that tradition has transformed into some of the world’s greatest wines.
La terra dell'Amarone
Born in the 40s of the ‘900, perhaps from a forgetfulness, from a “mistake” in the refermentation of a barrel of Recioto, which gave birth to a dry wine of great structure and power. Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG is undoubtedly the most famous wine of this land today.
The most traditional blend is with Corvina which enriches the color, character, softness, Corvinone which adds power and structure, Rondinella which livens up the flavor and small quantities of other local vines, expertly dosed and enhanced by local winemakers who put the soul in making this land famous for the wines it manages to produce.
The kingdom of the great red grapes
Which are the important red grapes of the Valpolicella territory?
Mainly Corvinone and Corvina Veronese, for which little is known about their origin other than they have been grown in the region for centuries. Especially in the Corvinone variety, the grapes are hefty, the skin is pruinose and dark violet/blue colored. The bunches of grapes are hefty too,in a pyramidal shape, sometimes with one or two wings called ears (the famous “rece” (=ears) that gave the name to the famous Recioto wine). The Rondinella grapes, are lighter, have smaller bunches and are more violet/blackish in color. We also work with many more local varieties that are helpful to the equilibrium and success of our wines.
The vines of the territory
CORVINA VERONESE
Noble, vigorous and compact. This is the way the most famous wine variety of this territory presents itself.
A very adaptable grape, able to grow in the poorest soils of flooding origin with a clay-limestone composition, thanks to a lot of sun and ventilation. These grapes ripen later than usual, and are compact with a thick skin covered by a skinny veil of intense dark blue/violet colors.
The wine is produced from this variety has a strong and deep color, elegant and structured, fresh and with a noticeable quantity of tannins.
CORVINONE
This variety is complementary to Corvina Veronese in the blend of the Valpolicella, indeed they share many analogies. Corvinone flourishes on the soils exposed to the sun and has a more consistent bunch than the Corvina; the berry is bigger and tends to a deeper blue color. Due to its characteristics it is more indicated for wilting.
RONDINELLA
The name originates from the color of the berries: dark blue/blackish, similar to the colors of a swallow (“rondine” in Italian). Rondinella has a compact bunch with a pyramidal shape and its grapes have a thick skin. Rondinella gives origin to intense, fruity and spiced wines with penetrating tannins.
MOLINARA
Molinara is a minor variety that appears in Valpolicella blends for Amarone and Recioto. Its name comes from from the fact that the skin looks like it has been in a flour mill (“mulino” in Italian). The wines from this variety have a cherry color with a delicate fragrance of fruits. They are light wines but with a good sapidity.
OSELETA
It seems that its name derives from the fact that birds ( osei in Venetian dialect) are fond of it. Hence the name given to the grapes
it is a grape with a very low yield, compact bunch and dark blue berries of medium size but with a consistent skin. This wine grape has a ruby red color, intense with a nose of cherry, blueberry and berry notes, mineral tones and hints of aromatic herbs. Fruity and spicy on the palate with a decisive but organized balanced tannins.