The Many Faces of Venetian Wine

Amarone: just the name induces a widening of the eyes, involuntary salivation, and a nostalgic smile. If you’ve had it, you know what kind of an impact it makes—one that you don’t forget easily. Amarone is one of the most iconic wines of northern Italy, sharing the same level of prestige as Barolo. But what is it exactly, why is it so darn expensive, and are there alternatives you can explore?

Italy’s Veneto region, where Amarone comes from, is the biggest wine producing region in the country. Its climate is temperate, the soils are rich, and the hills are gently sloped to just the right angle for perfect ripening. But Amarone isn’t the Veneto’s only gem.

The region of Valpolicella, located just north of Verona, is broken up into several different subregions, each with their own detailed classification system. But rules are boring and complicated (let’s just call them “guidelines,” am I right?), so the Veneto is rife with dozens of different styles, expressions, and interpretations of wine—depending on where they’re located… and which “guidelines” they feel like following.

VALPOLICELLA

 

The most basic, straightforward, least-complicated appellation is Valpolicella (and Valpolicella Classico—a more delineated subregion within the bigger one). Made in the same way as every other normal table wine you’ve ever had, it’s made from a maximum of 70% Corvina, which is the Veneto’s star grape. Fresh, fruity and easy-drinking, most Valpolicella is meant to be consumed in its youth. The Tommasi Rafael is technically Valpolicella Superiore, comes from a single vineyard (“Rafael”) within Valpolicella, and is absolutely delightful to drink. Besides Corvina, there’s a good measure of Rondinella (Corvina’s “sister grape”) that helps add color to the blend, as well as a slew of other indigenous grapes. Bright red fruits, including strawberry and cherry, are framed by a pretty floral note. The tannins are soft and pliable, making this a winner by itself or with lighter meals and cheese and meat plates. The Degani Valpolicella is made in a similar style, but with a touch more of an herbal note to it along with the fruit.

AMARONE

On the other end of the spectrum is Amarone. This special appellation dates back to the 8th century in Verona, when it became necessary to differentiate a dry wine made from dried grapes, from a sweet wine (called recioto). Grapes to go into Amarone are hand-picked, laid out to dry in shallow crates, and then tucked away in “drying houses” with big, open-air windows to let the wind come in. (It’s the wind that dries out the grapes—not the sun!) After a minimum of 100 days, the grapes are pressed and a long, slow fermentation happens. The Tedeschi Amarone is packed to the max with thick, dark fruit, raisin and prune notes, and a beautifully balanced structure with firm tannins but a lingering acidity which keeps this wine powerful, but dry. The Tommasi Amarone is just a touch lighter, with deep, rich flavors and an enlivening spice weaving its way across your palate. For a unique experience with an aged Amarone (these wines can last a long time), try the 2007 Venturini Amarone. In this expression, the ripe fruit dies away to reveal nuanced aromas and tastes of spice box, sweet tobacco, and potpourri.

RIPASSO

In the middle of these two extremes (and for less than half of what Amarone costs) you’ll find the Ripasso style. Literally meaning “to re-pass,” this method consists of pouring normal Valpolicella wine over the grape must (the skins, seeds, stems and pulp) left over from the Amarone. This gives the ripasso wine a noticeable Amarone character, but with a lighter texture and body. These wines are fantastic values, and are incredibly unique to experience. The Tommasi Ripasso and the Remo Farina Ripasso have rich, sappy fruit (reminiscent of Amarone) but also a fresh, green herbal note. In Tommasi’s case, they actually throw the Amarone skins directly into the ripasso’s fermentation tank so it gets as much Amarone character as possible.

…AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN BETWEEN

 And when all those styles just mentioned aren’t enough for the creativity of Veneto winemakers, you can just label your wine IGT Veneto. This designation lets wineries do projects like Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, where a portion of dried “Amarone-style” grapes are used in the blend with normal Valpolicella wine, or Tedeschi “Appassimento” Nicalo, where the grapes are hand-picked and dried in the exact same method as Amarone, but for only one month instead of three. The result of these wines is something in-between Ripasso and Amarone.

The Veneto has a wine style for everyone: light-bodied or full-bodied; fruity or earthy; easy-drinking or serious; wines for cellaring or drinking now. This historic region is one of the most traditional–and yet one of the most innovative–that Italy has to offer.

Satisfy Your Inner Wine Geek: Wine Trivia

Think you know a thing or two about wine? Have a go at the France44 Wine Trivia quiz! Answers are at the bottom—no peeking!

 

1)      What is a crémant?

a)      A cream-based wine

b)      A French sparkling wine produced outside of Champagne

c)       A French sparkling wine noted for its creaminess

d)      100% Chardonnay Champagne

2)      What is Napa Valley’s Frog’s Leap Winery named after?

a)      There used to be a frog farm on the estate

b)      It’s the measurement of a frog’s leap from the winery to any of the estate vineyards

c)       They wanted to poke fun at Stag’s Leap Winery

d)      They want to highlight how important biodiversity is to their winery

3)      Pinotage is a cross of what 2 grapes?

a)      Pinot Gris and Hermitage

b)      Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah

c)       Pinot Noir and Cinsault

d)      Concord and dirt

4)      How do you pronounce Freixenet, Spain’s #1 producer of Cava?

a)      frightened-eh?

b)      fresh-uh-net

c)       freaks-in-net

d)      fray-shnay

5)      Bobal is a little-known grape from ______ that is rapidly gaining popularity.

a)      Australia

b)      Argentina

c)       California

d)      Spain

6)      We love dogs, and so do winemakers! Out of our almost 3,000 wine labels at France44, how many of them sport pictures of hounds (or their canine relatives)?

a)      23

b)      11

c)       18

d)      68

7)      What grape is used to make Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?

a)      Montepulciano

b)      Sangiovese

c)       Nebbiolo

d)      Noble grapes

8)      What grape is used to make Brunello di Montalcino?

a)      Montepulciano

b)      Cabernet Sauvignon

c)       Sangiovese

d)      Nebbiolo

9)      What grape is used to make Morellino di Scansano?

a)      Colorino

b)      Sangiovese

c)       Barbera

d)      Dolcetto

10)   What the heck is on Matthiasson’s wine labels?

a)      Ballet dancers

b)      Grape vines

c)       Nut crackers

d)      Pruning shears

11)   What is the “Mistral”?

a)      A strong wind that blows constantly in France’s southern Rhone Valley

b)      A specific soil type found only in Jura

c)       The head honcho at every French winery

d)      The national after-dinner digestif of Greece

12)   Our General Manager, Chris, has worked harvests for this superstar California winemaker.

a)      Fred Franzia

b)      Russell Bevan

c)       Chuck Wagner

d)      Dale Peterson

13)   How is Madeira wine made?

a)      It develops a layer of yeast called flor and ages within a solera barrel system

b)      It’s fortified, then heated for 3 months

c)       It’s mixed with clarified sea water to give it its slight brininess

d)      It’s distilled, then poured over smoked palm leaves

14)   Bell’agio Chianti’s straw basket is called a _______.

a)      Straw basket

b)      Wine hammock

c)       Fiasco

d)      Diablo

15)   This dude is the patron saint of vineyards and winemakers, and his picture is here.

a)      St. Vinotheque

b)      St. Sylvan

c)       St. Knoll

d)      St. Urban

16)   This France44 staff member went to high school with the designer of the Rabble wine labels.

a)      Dustin

b)      Adam

c)       Doug

d)      Zach

17)   What grape is Prosecco made from?

a)      Pinot Grigio

b)      Prosecco

c)       Glera

d)      B and C

18)   This French wine is made in the same way as dry Sherry from Spain.

a)      Pineau des Charentes

b)      Sauternes

c)       Vin Jaune

d)      Beaujolais Nouveau

19)   What does “LBV” stand for on some Port bottles?

a)      Lost Baby Viper

b)      Les Beaulieu Vino

c)       Last Bottle Vine

d)      Late Bottle Vintage

20)   Which wine label sports Salvador Dali and his pet ocelot?

a)      Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir

b)      Tridente Tempranillo

c)       Field Recordings “Wonderwall” Pinot Noir

d)      Orin Swift “Pretty Kitty” Red Blend

 


ANSWERS

1)      B. Try the Clavelin or the Antech—a couple staff favorites!

2)      A. Read Frog’s Leap story while you’re sipping on their incredible Chardonnay.

3)      C. Pinot Noir and Cinsault, known as Hermitage in South Africa. This is a great introductory bottle if you’re not familiar with Pinotage yet.

4)      B. Now you know Catalan!

5)      D. We have two in the store!

6)      C. Double points if you can spot all of them.

7)      B. Tuscany’s “noble wine,” Sangiovese (known in Montepulciano as Prugnolo Gentile) has to make up at least 70% of the blend in Vino Nobile.

8)      C. A special clone of Sangiovese that only grows in the tiny Tuscan town of Montalcino.

9)      B. Apparently the answer to every question is “Sangiovese.”

10)   D. Use your imagination a little—you’ll see it.

11)   A. Rouge-Bleu’s “Mistral” is a delicious, funky little wine made in honor of this crazy wind.

12)   B. Larger than life, and a Minnesota native! His Pinots are incredible.

13)   B. This method is meant to replicate what would happen to the wine on its long sea journeys back in the 18th century.

14)   C. What a fiasco!

15)   D. And the Knolls’ exquisite Gruner Veltliner pays him dutiful homage.

16)   A. Check out her amazing website!

17)   D. Same grape!

18)   C. This is an experience in a bottle—Rolet makes a fantastic expression of it. Make sure you have some olives and cheese to go along with it!

19)   D. Want to try a vintage port but don’t want the hefty price tag? LBVs see more wood aging than regular vintage ports, and unlike vintage ports they are ready to be drunk upon release.

20)   C. Juicy and ridiculously fun to drink.

 

How’d you do?

1-7 points: Well… you’ve gotta start somewhere, right?

8-14 points: Not bad! You clearly know more than the Average Joe.

15-19 points: I bet you’ve read through The Wine Bible a few times.

20 points: Either you cheated, or you work at France44.

The Road Less Traveled

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Stick with what works.

Go with the tried and true. 

Expand your horizons.

Of the thousands of choices available to us these days, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. And when we get overwhelmed, the most common reaction is to shrink back to safety. We walk in feeling confident, bold, and daring… until we see 100 different Sauvignon Blancs staring us down. Rather than struggle through deciphering which one we’re going to like, our hand involuntarily reaches for our Ol’ Reliable, Kim Crawford. It’s familiar, comfortable, and we know exactly what we’re going to get in our glass.

Of course, “comfort brands” like Kim Crawford, Kendall-Jackson and Apothic Red drive sales in almost every store. These names have built themselves up to be household brands that people have come to know and depend on. But if we relied only on these labels, there would be no reason to have any other choices. It would be safe and predictable, but… super boring.

Wine isn’t a necessity in life. It exists today to delight and satisfy us. In our technologically-advanced winemaking world, we have a plethora of well-made, unique, interesting, and enjoyable wines from several different countries, thousands of producers of all types and sizes, and thousands of different microclimates. One of the most incredible things wine has to offer is this wide bevy of influences, all working together to create something wholly unique. If you’ve made the choice to drink wine in the first place, why wouldn’t you want to discover the crazy, special things it has to offer? You don’t watch the same movie every week. You don’t read the same book over and over again. Why should you have to stick to the same old rotation of beverage choices?

We’ve compiled a short list of some of our favorite “substitution wines” to help you break out of your comfort zone. The wines are similar, of course, but they’ll play a slightly different tune than the wine you’ve stuck with for far too long. All that’s required is an open mind and a spirit of adventure. With some things in life, it’s good to stick with the tried and true. But with wine, you could be missing out on some tasty—and sometimes awe-inspiring—experiences.

And as always, our staff would love nothing more than to chat about all the wonderful choices out there!

  • The empire of Kendall-Jackson, which has been on a buying spree of premium-quality wineries up and down the west coast this year, has built up its Chardonnay to be a reliable, consistent bottle year in and year out. Its luscious fruit flavors and hints of toasty oak are signature markers of this textbook California Chardonnay. Those same luscious fruit flavors and full, round body show up in the Lafage “Centenaire” Blanc, hailing from Roussillon in Southern France. Coming from Grenache and Roussanne vines that are well over 50 years old, the ripe orchard fruit notes are just as opulent and smooth as KJ’s Chardonnay!
  • For years, Meiomi Pinot Noir has delighted wine lovers with its sumptuous, intense flavors that seem to make other Pinots pale in comparison. Its silky-smooth texture, baked fruit and spice character make this a standout in a crowded field. Translate these same qualities to the Old World, and you’d be surprised how well Tres Picos Garnacha fits the bill! Packed with undulating layers of ripe red fruit and well-placed notes of clove and vanilla, it retains a lithe, supple nature and a delectably long finish.
  • Where would we be without Apothic Red? A “gateway” red blend for many new wine drinkers, this is a hedonistic, too-easy-to-drink sipper that’s equivalent to candy in a wine glass. If you’re looking for a tiny step in a drier, less sugary direction but want to retain that intense, beautifully concentrated fruit, Margarett’s Vineyard Romer Red is made up of a similar “kitchen sink” blend of grapes. This tasty wine is structured, bold and accentuated by spice—a more grown-up version of Apothic.
  • LaMarca Prosecco’s iconic baby-blue label brings festive flair to any gathering. The fizzy, fruit-forward, daintily sweet nature of this Italian sparkler is perfect for mimosas, Bellinis, or to go along with any starter course. If you hop on over to France, you’ll find a profusion of economically priced French bubbly (which includes basically everything produced outside the region of pricey Champagne). One such alternative is the Fleuraison Blanc de Blancs: zippy, light on its feet, and ridiculously tasty. A little more refined and less heavy-handed in fruit quality than Prosecco, the Fleuraison also works well in cocktails or as a gorgeously bright reception bubbly.
  • Did you know that Kim Crawford is actually a guy? Whoever he is, he sure has a knack for creating wines with international appeal. This Sauvignon Blanc is so popular that when you walk into the wine shop looking for “that Kim wine,” everyone knows what you’re talking about. Bold, in-your-face tropical fruit jumps out of the glass with that stereotypical New Zealand grassy/peppery note hiding in the background. But if you’ve had your fill of over-the-top Kiwi Savs and have a hankering for a gentler version, head over to sustainably-farmed Quivira Vineyards in California’s famed Dry Creek Valley. Balanced, clean and linear, this zippy white retains its refreshing acidity and juicy citrus notes from mineral-rich soils, and the cooling influences of the nearby Pacific Ocean. Quivira’s claim-to-fame is their commitment to sustainable, organic, and biodynamic farming methods, with the aim to create balanced and harmonious wines at every price point.

Cheers to new wines, new experiences, and getting out of your comfort zone!