Special Valpolicella Offer

 

Slopes of Valpolicella Classio

A lovely week in Italy in the Autumn confirmed our belief that some of the most exciting wines appearing on the world scene these days come from Italy.  There are wines of stunning quality (and sadly ballistic prices) in Tuscany and Piemonte, and great simple glugging wines (with cheaper prices) from the far South of Italy.  However, the real bargains lie somewhere in between.  The advantage that Italy has is an array of indigenous grape varieties that offer a profusion of different flavours and styles.  These are a million miles away from the world-dominated varieties of Cabernet, Shiraz and Merlot. We have shipped two delightful wines as our first offer of the year that demonstrate the quality and value now coming out of Italy.

Verona is Italy’s leading source of DOC wines, and it hosts the prestigious Vinitaly Wine Fair each year.   Valpolicella’s steep terraces have fantastic views over Verona from the North.  Here we find grape varieties with the unfamiliar names of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara.  Twenty years ago Valpolicella used to be a rather thin, pale watery wine, but there has been a quantum leap in quality, and these two wines are a marvellous example of the combination of modern wine making and traditional Italian grape varieties.

The house of Montresor dates back to the times of Cardinal Richelieu, when Count Claude de Montresor an advisor to the Duke of Orleans, founded the vineyard. The name of Montresor can still be found in the Touraine area of the Loire.  The property is now made up of 100 hectares of vines, including international grape varieties as well as the traditional Veronese varieties.

A mixed case contains 6 bottles of each of -

Valpolicella Classico 2007                                                                                                                                                £5.95 Giacomo Montresor                                                                                                                                                                                                                       This is made from Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara to produce a vibrant deep coloured wine. There is no oak aging. The nose is bursting with mouthwatering red cherry aromas, and on the palate there are fantastic juicy, red cherry fruit flavours, with a bitter twist at the finish and zingy acidity - the perfect foil for pasta and pizza.  If you love the delicious fruit of Cru Beaujolais – like Fleurie – you will adore this, and at a fraction of the price!

Valpolicella Classico Ripasso, Capitel della Crosara                                                                                                   £8.95 Giacomo Montresor                                                                                                                                                                     Made from the same three grape varieties, this comes from a single vineyard site and has lower yields.  Following the primary fermentation, the lees from the prestigious Amarone wine are then added and the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation.  It is then aged for 12 months in big old Slovenian barrels, before having just four months in smaller Never barriques. This adds greater complexity and silkiness to the wine, with almost imperceptible oak flavour.

It is very deep in colour, and has a wonderful nose of black cherries with a whiff of vanilla. On the palate it is very concentrated and rich, bursting with the flavours of black cherry and griottes.  There is soft tannin and a long aftertaste of spice and liquorice.  Gorgeous now but will keep for five years easily.  Superb stuff and outstanding value!

 Mixed Case Price : £89.40

 - As usual please email, fax, phone or write to place your orders -