Valpolicella (Valpolicella) - a region in the Italian province of Veneto, has long been famous for its winemaking. It is located in the predalpine region. Sunlit valleys are protected from the cold winds by hills. Additional solar radiation is provided by the reflection of rays from the water surface of the Adige River. For winemaking, there is not only an ideal climate, but also wonderful soils. Here you can find a variety of soils - from white, with a significant content of calcium, to red alumina. Such a wealth of soils allows the cultivation of grape varieties that are not found anywhere else. These are local "endemic" - Molinara, Rondinella and Corvin. From the noble blend of these three varieties, the famous Italian wine “Valpolicella” is born. We will taste it in this article.
Blend
First, consider the grape varieties from which Valpolicella is made. The province of Veneto is mainly famous for vines that give white berries. But the Valpolicella subregion, whose name translates as “the valley of many wine cellars,” is an exception to the rule. Only red varieties are cultivated here. For Italy, the most common is Sangiovese. This variety is also grown here, but in small territories. The main queen is Corvina. Almost black berries with a thick skin give the drink a rich aroma of cherry and tannin. High-quality dry (less often dessert) red wine "Valpolicella" contains from forty to seventy percent of the variety Corvina. Rondinella is responsible for the color saturation of the drink. But the berries of this variety are less fragrant. Therefore, together with Rondinella "winemakers include Molinara in the blend. This variety adds acidity to the drink.
Manufacturing process
Valpolicella is a wine that is made according to a very original technology. The collected berries are laid out in a thin layer on bamboo rugs and left in a well-ventilated area. So they wither for three to four months (depending on the weather). Thus, “almost raisins”, which is called “passito,” are already being processed. The grape harvest is significantly reduced in size. In this case, the berries acquire completely different organoleptic characteristics. This technique is called appaisement. By the end of January, a shriveled berry is crushed. Then carry out long maceration and slow fermentation at low temperatures. This process lasts from a month to 50 days. It is important for the manufacturer that the yeast turn excess sugar into alcohol. At this stage, depending on when to interrupt the fermentation process, two varieties of wine are born : dry Amarone and dessert Rechoto.
Terroir
The bottle labels also indicate the area where the raw materials for the drink are grown. Wine "Valpolicella Classico" is produced in the subregion, where the vines were grown back in Roman times. It consists of only five villages: San Pietro in Cariano, Sant'Ambrogio, Fumane, Marano and Negrar. The Lessin Mountains border the region from the north, and the Adige from the south. Low hills divide the area into three valleys - Marano, Negrar and Fuman. Each of them has unique soils and even a microclimate. The inscription on the label “Valpolicella Superiore” means that the raw materials were collected from vineyards located above the famous valleys, from the foothills of the Lessin Mountains. Drinks from this subregion are characterized by higher strength and acidity. But only in “Valpolicella Classico” there are twenty-seven terroirs (cru). In addition, different manufacturers adhere to different rules and technologies. Someone welcomes the noble mold, someone avoids it. Various drying techniques, special barrel wood, assemblage - all these subtleties and nuances give rise to special drinks.
"Valpolicella Recoto"
The ancient Romans, so that the wine did not turn into vinegar, made it either too sweet or especially strong. In the cool alpine climate, too few sugars accumulated in the berries, and the drinks turned out to be watery. Then they began to use the technique of appassimento. From dried berries (passito) came a wonderful dessert wine. It received the name Rechoto Valpolicella. This wine has a rich bouquet with the aroma of ripe cherries. It has a dense body. In its multifaceted taste, notes of dried fruits (especially prunes) and cherry jam are combined. But the Rechoto wine is still dessert and not liquor. There is no sugary taste in his taste, since a lot of acid has been saved in the berries themselves.
Wine "Amarone della Valpolicella"
This drink was born recently and is, in fact, the younger brother of Rechoto. But if you tighten the fermentation process of “Rechoto”, you get “Amarone”. Initially, this wine was perceived as a manufacturer oversight. But as dry drinks came into fashion, demand for Amaron also increased. It consists of a classic trio of Valpolicella valleys: Corvina, whose share should be at least 40 percent, Rondinella and Molinara. Corvinone is allowed. The fortress of this most prestigious wine from the "Valley of the many cellars" ranges from fifteen to eighteen degrees. The very word amaro translates as bitter. The suffix “-one” gives this characteristic a magnifying effect. And if you compare “Amarone” with “Rechoto”, then the first sample really looks “very bitter”. But this dry wine is one of the most prestigious in Italy, although it began to arrive on the world market only from the middle of the 20th century. In his taste, cherry dominates in combination with notes of raspberries, spices and tobacco.
Wines "Valpolicella Ripasso"
Manufacturers' techniques are being improved. Winemakers of the Valpolicella valleys began to use secondary fermentation. Thanks to this reception, “Ripasso” appeared. This is not even the younger brother of Rechoto and Amarone, but their joint son. How is Ripasso made? Grape clusters are sagging. Previously, this was done on straw litter in the attics or in the warmest place of the house, now on bamboo mats in dryers. Then the berries are squeezed, and the wort is left to roam. When a young wine is born , it is added to the pulp (squeezed), the remainder of the manufacture of "Recoto" and "Amarone." The secondary fermentation process lasts from ten to fifteen days. This technique is called “ripasso,” and it gave the name to wine. After that, the drink passes a two-year aging in barrels. What is a "ripasso"? This wine has a roundness and velvety structure, but in comparison with Amarone it loses in complexity and depth of taste. But still it is a very interesting drink.
Just Valpolicella
From the production of Amarone, when wort is squeezed from dried berries, the cake remains. Typically, Italian winemakers let him in to make distillate. But not in the valpolicella valleys. Let grappa - grape vodka - be made in other regions. Cake from Amarone is rich in tannins and has phenolic compounds. In secondary fermentation, these substances enrich the wine. This is how Valpolicella is born - dry red wine. This characteristic is given to the drink by manufacturers. But E. Hemingway, who was a big fan of Valpolicella, gave her such a definition: "spiritual wine, like a fraternal house." And he was right - in those days when the whole world believed that there were no varieties better than Sauvignon and Cabernet.
Prices
The standard Valpolicella is a wine made from raw materials grown within the whole region of the same name. But it is also labeled as DOC. A bottle of such wine can cost 750 rubles in Russia. The most prestigious local drink is Amarone. Moreover, raw materials for it should be grown within the Valpolicella Classico or Valpantena. These drinks are labeled accordingly. The assembly in them is almost the same - a trio of varieties that are blended by different winemakers with minor deviations. For lovers of dessert wines, we can recommend Rechoto.