Located in the Northeast of Italy in the shadow of the Alps,
Veneto is an ideal wine growing region with delicious white wines and full flavorful reds.
This Saturday we'll be sampling some of the region's bounty.
We'll start with a Frizzante Prosecco by Vincenzo Toffoli from the center of
the Conegliano - Valdobbiadene. Not as effervescent as a spumante, the frizzante bubbles let more of
the fruit through. The wine is full of fruit aromas with pronounced notes of apple and pear and a
tangy flavorful palate.
Next we'll taste a Soave from Coffele grown in vineyards surrounding Verona.
Garganega is the main grape in Soave. Coffele blends in a bit of Chardonnay as well.
This wine has flowery notes of acacia and cherry flowers with freshness and salinity. The body is
balanced with intense aromatic persistency. It's a classic Italian white.
Then we'll get down to business with the Reds from Valpolicella, all from the well known
Cantina di Negrar. They are all made from such grapes as Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and
Molinara
but it is the vinification that sets them apart. The Valpolicella Classico is a youthful fresh
wine matured in stainless steel vats. It has bright aromas of ripe red berries and a spicy medium-bodied
balanced flavor. It is a great food wine matching up with a wide range of dishes.
In sharp contrast, in the Amarone the same grapes are dried for 3 months before the wine
is made. This appassimento process shrivels the grapes and concentrates sugars, color and flavor.
The dried grapes are destemmed and pressed in early February. The maceration lasts for 30 days
(including 12 days cold soaking) before the wine is pressed. The wine is then aged 18 months in
barrels and a further 6 months in bottle before release. The resulting wine is rich and concentrated
and truly complex. The bouquet swirls with hints of black cherries and prunes, floral notes and sweet
spice aromas. The flavors are full-bodied and rich, backed by structured, yet velvety tannins.
Amarone pairs with robust dishes.
In between these two different wines is the Ripasso. Here the skins and leas from the Amarone
after pressing are thrown into the Valpolicella for a second fermentation adding some on the
complexity of the dried grapes to the freshness of the young wine. It is a wine for those who
want the best of both worlds.
We'll have them all three for you to taste. Come check it out. |
