- Adami Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore ‘Bosco di Gica’ NV
Adami has long been at the forefront of quality Prosecco production, setting the benchmark against which other Prosecco wines are judged. ‘Bosco di Gica’ is the ancient name of the Adami family vineyards and also the name of their best-selling Brut Prosecco. The grapes (Glera 95%, Chardonnay 5%) are gently pressed. The first fermentation is in stainless steel, and the wine spends 3 months with fine lees contact. The second fermentation is in steel pressure tanks, “Italian Method”. Bosco di Gica is remarkably fruity with delicate aromatics. Straw yellow in colour with scents of yellow apple and peach, wisteria and acacia blossom. Creamy mousse, taut acidity and a lingering dry finish.
Ideal as an aperitif, but also a wine to be enjoyed throughout a meal and works well with any light, delicate dish.
ABV 11%. Butlers £23
2. Villa Flora Lugana DOC 2024
An excellent Italian wine made by the Zenato family from 100% Trebbiano grapes grown south of Lake Garda. It’s vibrant, full-bodied, with notes of citrus, peaches, bananas, herbs and a touch of minerality – ideal for salads and fish dishes. ABV 13%. Waitrose £15
3. Inama Vigneti di Foscarino Soave Classico DOC 2023
An absolutely superb Italian white made by Stefano Inama from the Garganega grape, with an enticing, lifted nose, showing succulent aromas of honey, apricot and herbs. The honeyed palate shows stone-fruit flavours and a slight hint of spice. ABV 12.5%. Waitrose £25
4. Rosapasso Biscardo 2022
A brilliant rosé colour, the bouquet of elegant wild strawberry and cherry lead onto the smooth and harmonic palate.
Excellent with fish, cheese and lightly flavoured risottos and pasta. ABV: 12%. Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot (Noir) Nero. ABV 12%. Symposium £13.50
5. Valpolicella Provolo DOC 2023
A medium-full bodied red from Indigenous, Veneto red grapes giving purity of fruit, excellent acidity and a lengthy finish. Grape Varieties Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone. ABV: 13%. Wine Barrel £16
6. Domini Veneti ‘La Casetta’ Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore 2019
This is Valpolicella Ripasso with a difference. Ripasso wines are made by adding the leftover grape skins from Amarone production to standard Valpolicella, giving greater depth of flavour, texture and tannin. But Domini Veneti’s winemakers go a step further to make La Casetta. They re-ferment the wine with skins leftover from making Recioto – an intensely rich dessert wine – which pushes it into another dimension of flavour. Consider this an exceptional value ‘Baby Amarone’. It’s intense and spicy with rich, heady aromas. Expect notes of plum, cherry, chocolate and dried fruits. The silky texture and elegant tannins match perfectly with game dishes or roasted mushrooms. ABV 14%. Grapes Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone. ABV 14%. Majestic £21
7. Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva Pieropan Vigna Monte Garzon 2019
This great Amarone from renowned producers Pieropan is drinking perfectly now. Andrea is incredibly careful when drying his grapes for this traditional rich wine, which ensures a wonderful purity of fruit and balance. Full-bodied and rich with plum, cigar box and dried-cherry notes, this fine wine is wonderful with hearty winter stews or game. Aged in french oak tonneaux of 500l for at least, 36 months, followed by one year of ageing in vitrified concrete tanks and one year in bottle before release. Corvina Veronese 60%, Corvinone 30%, Rondinella 5%, Croatina Veronese 5%.
ABV 16%. The Wine Society £54
8. Cantina di Negrar Recioto Della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2022
Intense notes of red fruits and hints of cream, chocolate, plum and black cherry, making it perfect for blue cheese, Black Forest gateau or chocolate cake. Grape Corvina. ABV 12.5%. Waitrose £17.25 for 50cl
9. Bonus Digestivo – Quaglia Grappa Classica
Grappa is a unique distillate in the world because it is obtained from the distillation of a solid raw material: pomace, which are the grape skins after they have been pressed to make wine. Italians have probably been distilling spent grape skins for over 600 years, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that they began to realise the potential for grappa to be expressive and complex. Family-owned Distilleria Quaglia has been there pretty much from the beginning of this modern era. It was founded in 1871 and now, after four generations of evolution and innovation, Quaglia nestles happily at the sweet spot between tradition and experimentation. The Classica treads this line between old and new perfectly. It’s made from the classic mixed marc (skins from different varieties) but aged in stainless steel to keep the flavours pure. This results in delicate notes of raisin and wild rose wafting out from behind the warm alcohol, with a gloriously soft mouthfeel. ABV 40%. Butlers £27.49
This was included as, like Ripasso, the production process includes the use of left-over grape skins (pomace).
The wines were accompanied by cheeses and crackers
The group voted the Lugana and the Ripasso their favourite wines of the evening.
Swot’s Corner – the styles of Valpolicella
Tier 1: Valpolicella / Valpolicella Classico: DOC. The everyday wine. Largest quantity produced. Light easy drinking style. Classico denotes wines grown in the historic centre of the region.
Tier 2: Valpolicella Superiore: DOC. Minimum 12% ABV and 1 year in wood. More concentration and darker colour than Valpolicella Classico.
Tier 3: Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso: DOC. Also called Ripasso della Valpolicella which, as of 2009, officially has its own DOC. Made by macerating Amarone pomace (grape skins & solids) with fresh Valpolicella Classico. Medium – full body. Rich, soft, complex yet accessible. The secret to Ripasso’s rich flavours is in the way it’s produced.
Ripasso Method – After an Amarone wine is created, the leftover grape bits (aka pomace) are strained off and added to Valpolicella Classico. This enables the fermenting wine to have richer flavours and also produce a higher alcohol wine (a higher ABV adds more viscosity).
Tier 4: Amarone della Valpolicella: DOCG. Made with Valpolicella grapes that are dried for 4-5 months to lose water and concentrate sugars. Sugars have all fermented to dryness, but the “illusion of sweetness” remains. Minimum 2 years aging prior to release. Many producers wait as long as 5 years before release. Can cellar 10+ years, some more than 20 years. Minimum ABV 14%. Usually 15-16%. Full bodied, dried fruit, firm tannins, high acid. Amarone della Valpolicella is the most prestigious wine from the Valpolicella region in Veneto Italy. The reason Amarone is important these days is because it earned DOCG status in 2009; Italy’s official top-tier wine classification. This richly flavoured dry red wine is truly one of Italy’s finest and age-worthy wines
Tier 4.5: Single Vineyard Amarone della Valpolicella with “vineyard or brand name”
Same as Amarone della Valpolicella but vineyard designated. Many Amarone producers will have both an “Amarone Classico” and a single vineyard flagship wine.
Tier 5: Recioto della Valpolicella
DOCG. Dessert wine! Same grapes as Amarone, same process. But fermentation is halted before completion to leave residual sugar in the wine. Extremely concentrated, spectacularly complex. Rich dried fruit, lots of tannin and bright acidity. 12% ABV. Can cellar for 20-30 years under proper conditions.
