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The territory of Valpolicella Classica
Valpolicella Classico is produced in the province of Verona, in an area limited to five municipalities: Fumane, Negrar, Marano di Valpolicella, San Pietro in Cariano and Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella. It was awarded DOC status in 1986, and boasts a richly varied landscape, including vineyards interspersed with olive and cherry trees, crossed by streams that flow into the River Adige. The geological and climatic characteristics of this unique, varied territory form the basis for its wines, which show marked varietal stamping. Valpolicella DOC Classico is a fresh-tasting young wine with youthful, subtle aromas. It is obtained from fermentation on the skins of the classic grapes used for its production, such as Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara, followed by short barrel and then bottle ageing. The Superiore version, which must display higher quality, is produced using grapes selected from the best vineyards, sometimes with light drying to endow higher alcohol content and greater structure.
The Valpolicella Ripasso production technique
The Ripasso DOC production area covers the foothills of the province of Verona, as far as Lake Garda. The area is made up of a series of valleys and hills, which encroach on the plains in the shape of a hand, and which share common characteristics typical of Valpolicella, where climate and soil play a fundamental role. The technique of “re-passing” the wine over the pomace comes from a time-honoured practice used by Valpolicella winemakers. After vinification, the Valpolicella is stored to be subsequently refermented for 10/15 days on the pomace left from Amarone della Valpolicella production, and thus becomes Valpolicella Ripasso. The contact time between the pomace and the wine must be short, to allow the tannins present in the seeds to be transferred to the wine and increase the latter’s tannin content. After vinification, Valpolicella Ripasso is left to age in wooden barrels and subsequently in the bottle before being released on the market, no earlier than 2 years after harvest. This technique increases the wine’s alcohol content and polyphenols, resulting in a unique product showing generous body, marked roundness and excellent longevity.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
This is Valpolicella’s most prestigious wine, whose excellence and uniqueness are recognized all over the world. Amarone DOCG is obtained by partial drying of the grapes in drying lofts for 100/200 days: during this period the precious substances contained in the grapes, such as sugars and polyphenols, are concentrated. The dried grapes are then vinified in winter using classic red wine vinification and slow, skilful fermentation with continuous, repeated pumping-over and punching-down. The structure and unique personality of this wine, which displays a high alcohol content, can be further improved with extremely long barrel ageing; it will age well and evolve over time, even for decades. Amarone is defined as “Recioto that got away”, in which fermentation continued until all the sugars present were consumed and transformed into alcohol. It is an intense garnet hued wine, with orange reflections and impressive body and structure. The alcohol content, at times overpowering, guarantees large quantities of polyalcohols and extractive substances, making it nevertheless a velvety, pleasurable wine.
The ancestor of Amarone
Recioto della Valpolicella is the oldest wine from the DOC zone, reaching us after centuries of tradition and history. It always comes from partial drying of the grapes in a drying loft. Once the necessary sugar concentration has been achieved, vinification is carried out and fermentation halted in order to preserve the percentage of sugar necessary to guarantee the sweetness and structure typical of this sweet wine. It is the only sweet wine produced in Valpolicella, but its structure is not cloying thanks to its well-sustained body and good acidity.