Let's raise a glass to a beautiful season ahead! If you're planning on visiting Italy this season, then this post is for you!
I love Italian wines, not just those from the renowned regions of Tuscany and Piemonte. Over the years I have had the opportunity to travel to most of the 20 regions in the country and have tasted, drank and enjoyed their wide range of wines.
Some of my current favorites are from the Veneto, Friuli, Sicily and Puglia.
The region I want to touch on today is in the Veneto. Venice is my happy place and the region around it my home away from home. The region produces large volumes of the Prosecco and Pinot Grigio that the world enjoys, however four other wines have begun to receive a great deal of international attention. These are Valpolicella, Amarone, Soave and Bardolino.
My current favorite is Valpolicella DOC. Made primarily from Corvina grapes and blended with Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara. This area more than any other red producing region produces wines of style. Meaning the winemaker plays as much a role in the making of the wine as does the fruit and terroir.
My recommendation to taste and understand these fabulous wines is to try Quintarelli. Giuseppe Quintarelli was the owner and winemaker for over 60 years and was fondly referred to as "The God of Valpolicella" Today the estate is still run by the family including his daughter Fiorenza, son-in-law Giampaolo and grandsons Francesco and Lorenzo.
The bottles stand out with their beautiful hand written labels. Try a bottle on it's own or pair it with poultry, salmon, pasta and grilled vegetables.
Salute
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