Monte Santoccio Valpolicella Classico 2024

Monte Santoccio is a small family estate in the hills of Fumane, at the heart of Valpolicella Classica, north of Verona. Its four hectares of small plots, at around 300 metres above sea level and exposed to the winds, are trained on pergola trentina on free-draining limestone soils and alluvial areas. This high-altitude location, between the Lessini mountains and the Adige plain, offers constant ventilation and cool nights that preserve the elegance and freshness of the fruit.

The 2024 vintage, marked by challenging weather and small yields, produced grapes of great quality. The Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara grapes undergo a fifteen-day skin maceration in steel tanks during fermentation. The wine is then aged for twelve months in concrete vats, a discreet ageing that preserves the purity of the fruit and offers a transparent reading of the terroir.

This wine reveals notes of cherry, green coffee, sage, chocolate, dried plum, green pepper, red apple and amarena cherry. The ruby-red colour introduces a wine of great elegance. On the palate, the tannins are supple and elegant, carried by saline intensity and invigorating tension, while balsamic touches bring depth. The fresh, fruity finish prolongs the tasting.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!