Tedeschi Capitel Fontana Recioto 2019

Capitel Fontana comes from the vineyard of the same name on the hills of Pedemonte, at the heart of Valpolicella Classica, in the province of Verona. This historic terroir of the Tedeschi family benefits from well-exposed slopes, limestone and clay soils mixed with pebbles, and the moderating influence of Lake Garda. The grapes come from selected plots in an area renowned for the quality of its wines made from dried grapes. Altitude, temperature swings and the natural drainage of the soils encourage slow, concentrated and balanced ripening of the berries.

The grapes, harvested by hand between late September and early October, are dried for four months in a drying loft. After pressing, fermentation lasts around forty days and is stopped to preserve the natural sugars. The wine is then aged for three years in Slavonian oak barrels, followed by bottle ageing.

This wine reveals notes of candied black cherry, prune and dried fig, lifted by hints of violet, dried rose and cocoa. Touches of vanilla, mild tobacco, liquorice and sweet spices extend its complex expression. The palate offers a velvety, broad and generous texture, its sweetness supported by balancing freshness. Silky tannins structure the wine without weighing it down, while the long finish recalls ripe black fruit and spice.

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!