Posted By Joel on July 8, 2009

Le Salette Valpolicella Classico 2007, DOC

That we can speak of faith and wine - è poesia

The story goes that, in thankful devotion to the Madonna for sparing their vines from the devastation of a vineyard pestilence, local farmers faithfully built the sanctuary of Le Salette in the small village of Fumane in Italy’s Valpolicella region. Hanging precariously from a rocky ledge - building it there seems itself an act of faith - the sanctuary is said to still today protect the village.

Azienda Agricola Le Salette, with the same name as the sanctuary, is located in Fumane and is owned by the Scamperle family who have figured prominently as a winemaking family in Valpolicella for decades. With 20 or so hectares under vine in prestigious sites spread around Valpolicella Classico, Le Salette’s efforts are dedicated to growing traditional local varietals such as Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella, and producing quality wines that reflect a nice range of Valpolicella winemaking.

The Scamperle family apply a unique and thoughtful perspective to the production of their wines and to helping us understand them and the Valpolicella, as is made clear by the passionately informative video on their website: the old dry stone walls forming the traditional terraced landscapes - marogne in Italian - the natural drying of grapes and gorgeous landscapes, to name a few of the video highlights, are a joy to see:

Le Salette Valpolicella Classico is made from Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Sangiovese, and Molinara grapes grown in mineral rich cretaceous soil with good skeletal presence. Le Salette conducts hand harvesting of the grapes with special attention to selection. Fermentation is conducted at controlled temperature over 10-12 days, followed by ageing 5 months in steel and 1 month in wood.

Tasting Notes / Impressions:

The color is a kaleidoscope mix of ruby and garnet refractions. Scents of dried cherries and spice rush from the glass, heralding in a similar palate that is sensual, soft, and balanced. A classy wine with a pretty smoothness nuanced by pleasant bitter almond.

Food Pairing Suggestions:

Pair with pasta, rice, or polenta bianco dishes dressed with either mushroom or milder meat sauces; Vegetable casseroles such as white asparagus with bechamel; Stunning paired with mortadella with pistachio; Soups and stews; Young cheeses; Also, try this wine with German wursts, mild Indian curries, and Asian “Singapore Mei Fun” (curried rice noodles) !

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*Photo credit of Le Salette Sanctuary to http://www.stradadelvalpolicella.com/ita/foto2.htm
*Video credit to Le Salette @ www.lesalette.it, also at YouTube.

Categories: $ (Under $25), Uncategorized, Veneto, Wine
Tags: Corvina, Molinara, Sangiovese