2015 Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOP

Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella

Grapes are carefully selected from specific vineyard parcels that are uniquely suitable for recioto. Recioto refers to the "ears" of the grape clusters, the upper shoulders of the bunches that get the most sunlight and are the most ripe. The wine must have significant sugar to go through two alcoholic fermentations and remain sweet. Recioto must have significant levels of residual sugar after alcoholic fermentation. After harvest, grapes sit in wooden boxes or on rush mats. Careful attention is paid to the positioning of the grapes so appassimento can occur naturally. Noble rot will start to appear in November, and develops mostly in January. Grapes are pressed at the end of January and after 20 days of maceration, alcoholic fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts. After fermenting for 45 days, the wine is then racked and aged in Slavonian oak barrels for 5 to 6 years. All of Quintarelli's wines are capable of very, very long aging, but none more so than the Recioto.