Tezza 'Valpantena' Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2016

The Tezza family winery—run by cousins Flavio, Vanio, and Federico—stands out among Valpolicella producers by sourcing exclusively from their own organically-farmed vineyards. All of the stages in the making of their amarone—from the vineyards to the drying lofts to the winemaking itself—take place onsite. Located in the Valpantena valley, parallel to Valpolicella in the foothills of the alps north of Verona, Tezza benefits from the loam-based soils and sunny climate of their highly-valued corner of the Valpolicella DOCG. In the traditional style, this amarone is made from regionally-specific grape varieties (in this case, 80% corvina and 20% rondinella) harvested at full ripeness in September-October and dried on plateaux, with consistent temperature and humidity, until December. The concentrated juice of the partially-dried grapes is then vinified and aged for 36 months in barrique and 6 additional months in bottle. Richly spiced, plummy, and dark as a properly-aged fruitcake, this amarone combines complex aromatics of tobacco and cedar with black cherry and berry jam on the palate, finishing long with integrated tannins. Certified organic.