Tedeschi La Fabriseria 2017

La Fabriseria comes from a hillside vineyard in Fumane, at the heart of the historic Valpolicella Classica zone, in the province of Verona in the Veneto. This wine area in north-eastern Italy stretches between the Pre-Alps and the Veronese plain, not far from Lake Garda. The plots benefit from a favourable altitude, good day–night temperature swings and an exposure suited to slow ripening of the grapes. The soils, made up notably of limestone, clay and stony deposits, contribute to the depth, freshness and structure characteristic of this terroir-driven Amarone.

The grapes are harvested by hand between late September and early October, then dried for four months in drying lofts. Traditional fermentation goes hand in hand with a long maceration on the skins of 40 to 60 days. The wine is then aged for three years in large 25 hl Slavonian oak casks, followed by at least one year in bottle.

This wine reveals notes of black cherry, ripe plum and red fruit jam, enriched by hints of dried violet, tobacco, cocoa, vanilla and sweet spices. Ageing adds a touch of precious wood and liquorice, while a subtle note of garrigue underlines its Mediterranean character. The palate is broad, dense and velvety, carried by a generous body, ripe tannins and balancing acidity. The long, warming finish leaves lingering flavours of candied fruit, spice and cocoa.

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!