A great red wine which carries the name of its vineyard located in a favorable position in the hills of the Classic Valpolicella zone. The color is intense granite red with orange edges. It has scents of vanilla, pepper, ginger, prunes, marmalade, black cherries, leather and toasted coffee. There's more smoke and spice on the palate with flavors of blackberry and plum--a well-balanced wine.
Blackberry, plum, black licorice, leather, smoke and coffee.
Valpolicella is produced in the foothills of the Alps, west of Verona near beautiful Lake Guarda. The grapes used are Corvina Veronese (40 to 70%), Rondinella (20 to 40%) and Molinara (5 to 20%). Valpolicella Classico Superiore is made from the same grapes but gets its special character from refermentation on skins and seeds (pomace) left over from pressing Amarone wines. Known as Ripasso, the process adds bouquet and body and complexity.
Valpolicella Classico Superiore wines are outstanding when paired with deeply flavored fatty proteins like duck, beef and pork. Long-simmered stews and slow-cooked cuts like short ribs and shoulder will provide a silky textural match to this wine's smooth body. If you prefer lighter, less fatty proteins, try preparing them with a sauce or with accent ingredients that provide richness, such as prosciutto, cream or bacon. Any wine left after the main course will be delicious with Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, served with a sweet accompaniment like fig jam or quince paste. A recipe that immediately comes to mind is my Quail with Bacon and Honey. The smokiness of the roasted game birds with the bacon works so well with the wine.
Valpolicella's Amarone wines are the pride of the region and made from partially dried grapes that deliver concentrated sugars and flavors. The final result is a very ripe, raisiny, big-bodied wine with very little acid. Alcohol content easily surpasses 15% (the legal minimum is 14%), and the resulting wine is rarely released until five years after the vintage, even though this is not a legal requirement. Of course all the extra pampering comes at a price.
