Tedeschi Capitel San Rocco 2022

The Capitel San Rocco cuvée comes from the hills of Valpolicella, in the province of Verona in the Veneto. The vines are planted in the Mezzane Valley, east of the historic Valpolicella area, a sector known for its well-exposed slopes and a climate tempered by the nearby Lake Garda and the Pre-Alpine hills. This rolling setting encourages even ripening of the grapes while preserving their freshness. The name Capitel San Rocco refers to the lieu-dit from which the plots selected for this Ripasso Superiore come.

The grapes, harvested by hand during the first half of October, are gently pressed and then fermented in stainless-steel tanks with 7 to 10 days of skin maceration. The wine is then aged for 12 months in Slavonian oak barrels, followed by 6 months in bottle.

This wine reveals notes of ripe cherry, plum and jammy red fruit, lifted by touches of pepper, liquorice and sweet spices. Ageing brings hints of vanilla, toasted oak and cocoa, while a subtle note of balsamic herbs completes the bouquet. On the palate, the wine is broad and velvety, supported by balanced acidity and supple tannins. The lingering, harmonious finish extends the wine's fruity and spicy expression.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, home of the Dolce Vita, but how hard it is to understand how its wine is organised! The key to understanding Italy's appellation system is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single uniform one, since each region has its own appellation system. Yet Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavours and styles, as well as bottles full of surprise and creativity. Unfortunately it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most useful and commercially renowned names: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others... But let us talk a little history: winegrowing in Italy goes back to the most distant antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and changed the grape varieties, later calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and some regions already stood out for the excellence of their produce. The Romans also planted many vineyards across Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquests. Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a fairly harsh mountain climate. The plain in the "middle of the boot" has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. The "south of the boot" enjoys a Mediterranean climate with very hot, very dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a great variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of them native to its land. It is a country just as complex as its wines, and well worth exploring!