Posted By Joel on March 7, 2009

Utter the ancient words Vallis Polys Cellae.  Go ahead and try it.  They mean Valley of Many Cellars.  Feel V’s vibration, your lips touch for the “P”, your tongue upon the roof of your mouth for “L”.  Feel history in your mouth.

A simple act of speech provides an intriguing impression of the wine region we know today as Italy’s Valpolicella where the very human activity of making wine still today reveals a connection - as it does in all of Italy’s wine regions - to very ancient histories and traditions.

Produced from vineyards in the area of Verona, the Zenato Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2006 is made from hand harvested grapes, 85% corvina, 10% rondinella, and 5% sangiovese using traditional production methods.  The wine is later matured for 12 months in Slavonian oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Supple fragrances of almonds and violets compose a seductive nose while, in the mouth, the sense of touch is immediately aroused by this wine’s velvety structure.  Ruby red color, full, round, and dry on the palate, with berries framed in hints of bitter chocolate during the finish.  A classicly styled Valpolicella, delicious now, but can be cellared a few years as well.

As is the usual case, Corvina (80%) and Rondinella (10%) are part of this Valpolicella’s varietal makeup, with Sangiovese (10%) the less frequent contributor.  Vineyards are located in the “Classico” zone of the Sant’Ambrogio comune hills with a south-southeast aspect at an altitude of 250-300 meters.  Soil makeup is predominantly clay and chalk.  Vines, at an average 24 years old, are trained in guyot and pergola trentina at density of 3,000 vines/hectare. Manual harvesting takes place during the mid-third of October.

Food pairing suggestions: Ideal with all roast meats; egg pasta; sausage and polenta; fried or baked chicken liver; risotto w. minced pork, mature cheeses, salami

$

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