"Valpolicella" (wine): description, views, features and reviews

Valpolicella (Valpolicella) - a region in the Italian province of Veneto, has long been famous for its winemaking. It is located in the pre-Alpine region. Sun-flooded valleys are protected from cold winds by hills. Additional solar radiation is reflected by rays from the water surface of the Adige River. For winemaking there is not only an ideal climate, but also wonderful soils. Here there are various soils - from whites, with a significant content of calcium, to red alumina. Such a wealth of soils allows growing grape varieties that are not found anywhere else. These are local "endemics" - Molinara, Rondinella and Corwin. Of the noble blend of these three varieties, the famous Italian wine "Valpolicella" is born. We will taste it in this article.

Bathing

First, let's look at the varieties of grapes from which Valpolicella is made. The province of Veneto is mostly famous for vines giving white berries. But the Valpolicella subregion, whose name translates as "the valley of a multitude of 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 areas. The main queen is Corvinus. Almost black berries with thick skin give the drink a rich aroma of cherry and tannin. Quality dry (less dessert) red wine Valpolicella contains from forty to seventy percent of Corvina. Rondinella is responsible for the color saturation of the drink. But the berries of this variety are less aromatic. Therefore, together with Rondinella "winemakers are included in the blend Molinaru. This variety adds acidity to the drink.

Manufacturing process

Valpolicella is a wine that is made with a very original technology. Collected berries are laid out in a thin layer on bamboo mats and left in a well ventilated room. So they wilt for three to four months (depending on the weather). Thus, almost "raisins" are already being processed, which is called "Passito". The harvest of grapes is considerably reduced in size. In this case, the berries acquire completely different organoleptic features. This technique is called "appasimimento". At the end of January, the dried berries are crushed. Then, long maceration and slow fermentation are carried out at low temperatures. This process lasts from a month to 50 days. Here for the manufacturer it is important that the yeast turn excess sugar into alcohol. At this stage, depending on when to interrupt the process of fermentation, two varieties of wine are born : dry "Amarone" and dessert "Rechoto".

Terroir

On the labels of bottles, the area where the raw material for the drink is grown is also indicated. The wine "Valpolicella Classico" is produced in the subregion, where vines were grown even during the Roman Empire. It consists of only five villages: San Pietro in Cariano, Sant'Ambrogio, Fumane, Marano and Negrar. From the north, the region is bounded by the Lessin Mountains, and from the south by the Adige. The low hills divide the area into three valleys - Marano, Negrar and Fumane. Each of them has unique soils and even 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 a higher strength and acidity. But only in Valpolicella Classico there are twenty-seven terroirs (Cre). In addition, different manufacturers adhere to different rules and technologies. Someone welcomes a noble mold, someone avoids it. Various techniques of withering, special wood of barrels, assemblage - all these subtleties and nuances give rise to special drinks.

Valpolicella Rechoto

The ancient Romans, so that the wine did not turn into vinegar, made it either too sweet or very strong. In a cool prialpic climate, too few sugars were stored in the berries, and the drinks were watery. Then began to apply the technique of appassimento. Out of the dried berries (Passito), a beautiful dessert wine came out. It received the name "Rechoto Valpolicella". The wine has a rich bouquet with the aroma of ripe cherries. It has a dense body. In its many-faceted taste, the notes of dried fruits (especially prunes) and cherry jam were combined. But the wine "Rechoto" remains still dessert, and not liqueur. In his taste, there is no cloying, because in the berries a lot of acid was saved.

Wine "Amarone della Valpolicella"

This drink was born recently and is, in fact, the younger brother of "Rechoto". But if you delay the process of fermentation "Rechoto", you get "Amarone". In the beginning, such wine was perceived as a manufacturer's oversight. But since dry drinks have become a fashion, the demand for "Amarone" has also increased. In its composition - the classical trio of Valpolicella valleys: Corvinus, whose share should be at least 40 percent, Rondinella and Molinara. The presence of a variety of Corvinone. The fortress of this most prestigious wine from the "Valley of numerous cellars" ranges from fifteen to eighteen degrees. The very word "amaro" is translated 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 enter the world market only from the middle of the twentieth century. His taste is dominated by cherry in combination with notes of raspberries, spices and tobacco.

Wines "Valpolicella Ripasso"

The techniques of the manufacturers are being improved. Winemakers Valpolicella Valley began to use secondary fermentation. Thanks to this technique, "Ripasso" appeared. It's not even the younger brother of "Rechoto" and "Amarone", but their joint son. How do they produce Ripasso? Grape clusters wilt. Previously, it was done on straw litter in attics or in the warmest place of the house, now - on bamboo mats in the drier. Then the berries are squeezed out, and the wort is left to wander. When a young wine is born, it is added with the pulp (pomace) left from the production of "Rechoto" and "Amarone". The process of secondary fermentation lasts from ten to fifteen days. This technique is called "ripasso", and it gave the name to the wine. After that, the drink undergoes a two-year exposure in barrels. What is the "Ripasso"? This wine has a roundness and velvety texture, but in comparison with "Amarone" it loses in complexity and depth of flavors. But still it is a very interesting drink.

Simply "Valpolicella"

From the production of "Amarone", when the wort is squeezed out of the wilted berries, cake remains. Usually Italian winemakers start it up to make distillate. But not in Valpolicella valleys. Let the grappa - grape vodka - be made in other regions. Cake from "Amarone" is rich in tannins and has phenolic compounds. With secondary fermentation, these substances enrich the wine. So "Valpolicella" is born - red dry wine. This characteristic of the drink is given by the producers. But E. Hemingway, who was a big admirer of Valpolicella, gave her such a definition: "wine is spiritual, like a brotherly house." And he was right - at a time when the whole world believed that there was no better variety than Sauvignon and Cabernet.

Price list

The standard "Valpolicella" is a wine made from raw materials grown within the whole of the same region. But it is also labeled as DOC. A bottle of this wine can cost in Russia 750 rubles. The most prestigious local drink is "Amarone". Yes, and the raw materials for it should be grown within Valpolicella Classico or Valpentine. These drinks are appropriately marked. Assemblage in them is almost the same - a trio of varieties that are blended by different winemakers with minor deviations. For fans of dessert wines you can recommend "Rechoto".