2010 Quintarelli Valpolicella

Juicy red and blue fruits cavort with warm baking spices, violet petals, underbrush, pressed herbs, and cherry liqueur in this captivating, balanced ’10 Valpolicella. Fine-grained tannins cling to the cheeks as this supple wine crosses the palate, releasing a sweet inner perfume and building to a mineral-laden and altogether symphonic finish. Crafted from a mélange of indigenous Veneto grape varietals chosen with Quintarelli’s legendarily strict grape selection, grapes dry for two months in the appassimento technique before pressing and fermentation. This wine ages for seven years in Slavonian oak botti before bottling, a protocol unheard of in the region but one the estate maintains to create nuanced and structured, complex Valpolicella with some appropriate maturity. An opportunity to experience Quintarelli magic at a fraction of the price of the estate's Amarone, this Valpolicella is a true “baby Amarone.” -italianwinemerchants.com