Old World Italian Valpolicella

“In vino veritas” (in wine there is truth) goes all the way back to Roman Times!

In Italy it is simply not possible to drink too much wine, otherwise there would be an Italian equivalent for the English word ‘hangover’ which there is not!

Being a connoisseur of wines takes a lot of patience, repetition and practice.  You have to attend many tastings, differentiate between grape varietals from various wine growing regions and distinguish the difference through smell and taste.  It’s a lot of work!  But hey; who’s complaining!

I’m by no means a connoisseur, however I do consider myself a wine enthusiast. I love drinking wine and I’m keen to dive into a bottle or two trying wines from many regions and learning about what makes them unique although later I might forget.

Yesterday I was invited to attend a walk around tasting of world famous Valpolicella wines open to media and wine critics at the Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver.  Valpolicella is the world-famous wine district in northeastern Italy.

There was also on hand an abundance of Amarone (a personal favourite).  I observed the wine critics and writers closely.  I confessed to some of the wine reps that it would not be an easy task to rate some of these wines – as each tasting was as exceptional as the last. They agreed that being a critic is based on personal taste as much as the quality and taste of the wine.

So for the purpose of this post I won’t go into too much detail. Here’s an example why:

I really enjoyed a 93 Points (by Gilbert & Gaillard) Amarone Della Valpolicella D.O.C.G 2017 from Cantine Riondo – produced in Veneto, Italy. The wholesale price of this wine is around $30. Here are the tasting notes:

An elegant, full-bodied, complex wine.  A flavour of black cherry on the palate, with spicy notes of vanilla and a coffee finish.  A complex bouquet of cinnamon, cherry jam, preserved fruit and walnut on the nose.

Now…doesn’t that sound enticing?  Who wouldn’t want to try this wine?

The wine critic must evaluate and describe the wine with a numerical rating, a tasting note, or a combination of both. A critic should have a background as a sommelier (course study in wine, spirits, and sake) or palate training through tasting classes at wineries or agricultural institutions.  The writer or reviewer has to have a general understanding of the subject at hand.

Personally I like to think I have good taste in figuring out what wines are barely drinkable to the ones that are exceptional.

It was nice to go back to old world wines for a change.  Especially since I’ve been focusing on wines from British Columbia when in Vancouver and wines from California when in Palm Springs.

The tasting was conducted by the Consorzio Tutela Vini which was founded in 1924.  It’s an association of grapevine growers, wine makers and bottlers of Valpolicella wine production areas, that include 19 municipalities of Verona province. The Consorzio represents more than 80% of the producers using “Valpolicella” appellation.  It promotes activities to enhance the value of the whole territory, takes care of promotion, value and general information about Valpolicella wines.

You’ll notice on the bottles: DOC, DOCG & Ripasso.  In short:

DOC is the second highest quality level – with Denominazione di Origine Controllata meaning “designation of controlled origin”. In order to achieve this classification, there are still very strict rules which need to be followed regarding quality and authenticity.

DOCG is the highest classification Italian wines can be awarded. DOCG are the best of Italian wines. The classification means that there are controlled production methods (controllata) and guaranteed wine quality (garantita) with each bottle.

Ripasso is a red wine from the Valpolicella zone located north of Verona in the Veneto region of Italy. Ripasso is generally less well known than Valpolicella and Amarone wines, also from this area, even though it shares some features of both wines.

Amarone is a rich, expressive red wine from the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. Its full name is Amarone della Valpolicella, and it’s produced from a blend of grapes including Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella. The concentrated nature of Amarone wine, coupled with longer fermentation and ageing processes, makes for a luxuriously rich, powerful, and full-bodied wine. Its vibrant, complex flavour and velvety texture make Amarone a decadent wine that deserves your full attention when drinking it. In Italian, the name Amarone literally means “Great Bitter”; originally, this was to distinguish it from the Recioto produced in the same region, which is sweeter in taste.

And finally; the real spirit of Italy is embodied in this sentence: Age and glasses of wine should never be counted.

This might sound like an excuse to drink one more glass of wine but, indeed, it is also an invitation to fully enjoy life. Forget about your age, stay young, and enjoy the company of good friends and good wine.Saluti!

Photos: d. king