Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
The fruit comes from the organically cultivated Pojega vineyard in the foothills of Negrar in Valpolicella. The vines are at least 30 years old on average and grow in clay and sandy soils with a moderate limestone content.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested by hand, carefully selected and placed on well-ventilated surfaces in dedicated drying rooms to continue ripening. The duration of drying varies with the vintage; during this period, the sugars and juice become more concentrated. The dried grapes are gently pressed, followed by a month-long fermentation in stainless-steel tanks at 18–28 °C. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barriques made mainly from French oak. The wine's alcohol derives from the fermentation of dried grapes rather than the addition of spirit.
Ageing
The wine spends 12 months in 2.25 hL oak barrels, followed by 24 months in 25 hL barrels.
Label / history
Official records document production of Villa Rizzardi since the early nineteenth century, though the tradition may be older. Antonio Rizzardi is thought to have begun making it in 1648 after acquiring historic vineyards in the foothills of Negrar. The name Amarone derives from the Italian amaro, meaning “bitter.” According to legend, the style arose when grapes intended for Recioto were dried for too long and the resulting wine was left in the fermentation room, allowing all the sugar to ferment and producing a dry, bitter wine rather than a sweet one.
