Wines of Verona Tasting at Cafe Maxx

“I have lived temperately, I double the doctor’s recommendation of a glass and a half of wine a day and even treble it with a friend.”

― Thomas Jefferson

We have our big Amarone tasting this Friday night with two of the big boys of the Valpolicella Dal Forno and Quintarelli but for those of you that can’t make this event (we have 2 seats remaining!) we have another tasting featuring the wines from this famous wine region of Italy at Café Maxx on Wednesday April 6th.

Valpolicella, according to some accounts, means “valley of many cellars,” which seems fitting.  It is derived, they say, from the Greek word poli (many) and the Latin cella (cellar).   This area is approximately 27 miles long and 5 miles wide, it passes north and west of Verona, extending from the Adige River to the Cazzano Valley.  Bardolino and Lake Garda lie to the west and Soave to the east.  The land ranges in altitude from 490 to 1,475 feet above sea level.  The vines in the classico district to the northwest of Verona, are planted on the hillsides and mountain slopes of the valleys of the Adige tributaries and the Fumane, Marano, and Negrar torrents.  Some of the vineyards are terraced with stone.  The cretaceous, calcareous soil is of glacial origins.  And volcanic activity in this area contributed elements to the soil as well.  

The area around Sant’Ambrogio is considered the heart of the Amarone production zone.  Within this area, northeast of Gargagnago, is a valley called Vaio Armaron, which may have given the wine its name.   The blend of grapes typically used in Valpolicella is Corvina (40%-70%), Rondinella (20%-40%), Molinara (5%-25%) and may contain up to 15% Negrara Trentina, Rossignola, Dindarella, Barbera, and/or Sangiovese.  Before 1989 producers were allowed to add as much as 15% of grapes, must, or wine from outside the zone to correct problems from a weak vintage, but this practice is prohibited today.  Corvina contributes color, body, bouquet, flavor, and the basic Valpolicella character to the wine.   Rondinella, which is resistant to disease and rot, is added for its color and strength, tannin and vigor, it also adds some refinement to the azromas.  Molinara, or Mulinara, is also known as Rossara Veronese and Rossanella, is blended in to make the wine lighter and more drinkable.  It also contributes dryness and acidity, as well as that characteristic bitterness.  Negrara, adds softness, freshness and early drinkability.

The first dry Amarone, according to writer Cesare Marchi, was the result of a fortunate accident.  In the early 1950s, Adelino Lucchese, Bertani’s cellarmaster, discovered a barrel of wine in the cellar that had been overlooked and neglected for some time.  Certain that it had spoiled he was about to discard its contents, when curiosity prompted him to take a taste just to see what had happened.  He was astonished to discover that the forgotten wine had a velvety texture and a penetrating perfume, a slightly bitter taste, but not at all unpleasant. 

There is however evidence that the Romans made a type of bitter Recioto for diabetics or other people who couldn’t take sugar.  Sandro Boscaini of Masi pointed out that some of the oldest families in Valpolicella, the Count Campostrini and Count Serego Alighieri, as well as his own produced an Amaro, a dry Recioto.  This would seem to indicate that Amarone is considerably older that Marchi admits.  According to another book called Valpolicella Spolendida Contea Dei Vino, written by Lamberto Paronetto, the name Amarone has been in use since the eighteenth century.  It became popular at the beginning of this century and the name could very well be derived from the Italian word amaro, meaning “bitter” (scholar Scipione Maffei, writing in the first half of the eighteenth century, refers to an amaro, a dry wine from the Valpolicella area), or it could come from Vajo Armaron, where some highly regarded Amarones have been produced for ages. 

These tastings at the Cafe Maxx for $35 are the best value of any event that we do. You get to try 8 different wines at the same time, pre-poured so they have a chance to open up and so you can go back through the line-up to get a second and third look at everything. This is how you learn about wine and with master chef Oliver Saucy sending out a few small courses to accompany the wines, you get a taste of Cafe Maxx and an education in wine all at the same time- a great way to spend happy hour.

Verona Wine Tasting at Cafe Maxx
Wednesday, April 6th
7pm

2013 Pieropan Soave
Price: $18.75       Sale $16.50          Case $191.25

A blend of 85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano di Soave.  Straw yellow with brilliant, greenish and golden reflections, the bouquet is fresh, ample & floral with notes of elderberry, apple, pear & lemon verbena on a background of almonds and nuts; fresh, elegant & well balanced on the palate, with a long finish.

2013 Poggio Al Tesoro Solosole Vermentino      
Price: $22.25       Sale $19.58          Case $227

A Corsican clone of Vermentino this clone has more body and structure, this wine has a very intense bouquet of fusil/mineral almost like a Riesling, that textbook rosemary herbal notes and rich tree fruit.  Nice concentration and richness on the palate an almost oily texture on the tongue with that tongue tingly minerality and a long finish.  Finish 40+                Excellent

2013 Musella Valpolicella Superiore     
Price: $22.25       Sale $19.58          Case $227

They have converted to biodynamic, they like to be the interpreter of their soils, this is textbook Valpolcella only big barrel and cement, they have concrete eggs, they are doing a study with Marble, this wine has a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers, red cherry fruit and some of that clay like minerality of this region and they are following a more Burgundian model to produce these wines.  They have 50 hectares of vines, 30 of their own and 20 are rented, a mostly Corvina 60%, 25% Corvinone, Rondinella and 5% Barbera.  This wine is light and fresh with pretty floral notes and a good amount of juicy red cherry fruit.  Finish 40+          Excellent             

2014 Allegrini Valpolicella
Price: $15.75    Your Price: $13.86               Case $161

This wine is a blend of the three traditional grapes, all stainless, almost a Gamay quality to the wine very fresh and fruity and it has a bubble gum like character to the aroma, sweet herbs, cherry fruit very forward, pretty floral notes and a smoky meaty character coming out on the second day.  A fresh and fruity wine with smooth tannins, and lovely freshness pretty floral/herbal notes through the finish.  Finish 35+    Very Good +

2012 Allegrini La Grola Veronese
Price: $30.00    Your Price: $26.40               Case $306

This is a single vineyard near lake Garda planted in 1979, 4000 planted per hectare, a 74 acre vineyard, the purchased the estate in 1974 and they are the furthest west in the Valpolicella region, a blend of 80% Corvina, 10% Oselleta and Syrah in the blend they are phasing out the Syrah eventually.  Pretty floral and dark spices coco notes, and a hint of that play dough minerality and a roasted meat like character on the nose.  A very ripe and rich wine with a good amount of cherry liqueur like fruit, smooth tannins and that spice and floral nuance from the nose lasting through the finish.  Finish 45+

2012 Musella Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore     
Price: $30.00    Your Price: $26.40               Case $306           

This is a more elegant style of Ripasso with a bit more richness on the nose, hints of dried meats and coco to the red cherry fruit and pretty floral notes.  Tangy red berry fruit on the tongue with a good amount of minerality that red clay and silky smooth tannins pretty floral notes and a long finish.  finish 45+  A great vintage, 2013 not so good and 2014 was a very difficult vintage, they only produced one Amarone, two months of continuous rain, 20 days of rain in July            Excellent +               

2010 Musella Amarone Della Valpolicella           
Price: $60.00    Your Price: $52.80               Case $612

More Corvina and Corvinonie more pepper earth and less explosive fruit, aged in big barrels and a small amount of Oseletta.  Dark cherry liqueur like fruit on the nose with hints of coco and a good amount of that distinct clay like minerality on the nose, some dried floral notes.  A very smooth and round wine on the tongue with excellent freshness for a wine at 15.5 alcohol, lots of pretty floral aromas through the finish and that textbook minerality through the finish.  Finish 45+                Most Excellent

2010 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $60.00    Your Price: $52.80               Case $612

They do not like Botrytis so they have systems in place so they do not get any during the drying process. They modernized the process of making Amarone so they removed the rot and Botrytis, dark cherry liqueur like fruit on the nose with pretty floral notes, dried plum and coco spice, notes of green tea and dried meats, smoky notes coming out as the wine opens.  Smooth and silky on the tongue with dark cherry and plum fruit ripe and delicious with round succulent tannins and a bright fresh finish you hardly notice the 15.5% alcohol.  Finish 45+ Excellent +

This tasting is $35 + tax + gratuity, for reservations call 954-782-0606.