Country: Italy, Veneto
Grape Varieties: 55% Corvina and Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 15% Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Croatina and Sangiovese

AWARDS
Doctor Wine 95/100

Giuseppe Quintarelli is a legendary estate located in the hills north of Verona in the heart of the Valpolicella appellation. It is regarded by many as the greatest of all Amarone producers and is known for its traditional deep, complex wines packaged with distinctive handwritten labels. The great man Quintarelli himself, known as il Maestro del Veneto, died in 2012 aged 84 but the winery remains family-owned and managed.

Harvest Date: From mid-September.

Vinification: The grapes are harvested in wooden crates and immediately taken to the cellar for pressing. After about three or four days of maceration, alcoholic fermentation begins and lasts about seven to eight days. At the end of this period, the wine is drawn off and, after two or three decantings, the Valpolicella is left to rest until April, when the ripasso is made. The ripasso technique gives the wine greater complexity, colour and structure. At the end of April, when the Amarone is drawn off, the marc is blended with the Valpolicella. At this point, a second alcoholic fermentation starts, always spontaneously, at the end of which the wine is drawn off. The resulting product is put into medium-large Slavonian oak barrels, where it remains for about six years to complete its maturation.

Tasting Notes: Ruby-red. Intense spicy bouquet on the nose, enriched by appealing notes of black cherries and sweet violets. On the palate, elegant, intense, incredible body, with smooth tannins and a balanced acid backbone. A dense giant, extremely long and an incredible value.

Food Pairing: Beef and venison

Case Bottles: 6