About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The grapes come from the company's own vineyards in the Valpolicella area of Veneto, in northeastern Italy. Valpolicella is a series of valleys bordered by hills and the Adige River, at the foot of the Alps. Its name is read as either "the valley of many cellars" or "the blessed valley". The land lay beneath the sea in ancient times, so the soils are particularly rich in calcium and limestone deposits. The climate is temperate.
Vinification
The grapes are usually harvested by hand in the first half of October. At the winery they are destemmed and gently pressed. Fermentation with selected yeasts takes place in closed tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine stays on the skins for 10–15 days, with the cap punched down daily. After malolactic fermentation it undergoes a second fermentation, the "ripasso" technique, for 7–10 days on grape-skin pomace left over from the production of Amarone or Recioto, with daily pumping over.
Ageing
The wine is aged in French oak barrels, then rests further in bottle after bottling.
