Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/992999
The Cru Artisan College Study Guide 9 Excerpts taken from the Italian Wine Scholar Manual THE APPASSIMENTO PROCESS: Appassimento is the production technique used to craft two of the most distinctive styles of Valpolicella: Amarone and Recioto. e process of air-drying grapes, appassimento has been practiced in this area at least since Roman times and the process has remained largely unchanged. Whole bunches of healthy and fully-ripe grapes are selected at harvest and are subsequently placed on traditional arele or graticci racks made of wood and bamboo; wooden or plastic crates are also now commonly used. e grape bunches then rest in a single layer to ensure good air circulation and prevent any crushing or bruising of the fruit. e racks or crates are then placed in fruttai—protected, well- ventilated lofts on the hillsides—and left to dry for at least three The four appellations in the Valpolicella district all share the same winegrowing zone, grape varieties, and blending rules: Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG: Recioto is an ancient, sweet red wine made from air-dried grapes. Before the advent of drier wine styles, Recioto was considered the most-prized wine of Valpolicella. Recioto wines are deep ruby in color, medium to high in alcohol, and high in extract; they also possess a rich, velvety mouthfeel and boast intense aromas of maraschino cherries, dried fruit, and chocolate. The sweetness is balanced by acidity. Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG: Amarone, essentially a dry Recioto, is considered the most prestigious wine produced in Valpolicella. By law, Amarone must be aged for a minimum of two years, while the riserva version must be aged for a minimum of four. A powerful and full-bodied wine, Amarone is intensely fla- vored with high extract and round, velvety tannins. The array of aromas is varied: maraschino cherry, dried fruit, tobacco, licorice, dark chocolate, rum, tar, leather, and spices. Alcohol levels can easily reach 15–16% ABV. Amarone also benefits from bottle-aging, developing great tertiary and ethereal complexity. Valpolicella DOC: The Valpolicella DOC represents the lightest Valpolicella wine style. A typical Valpolicella should be refreshing and fruity with fragrant aromas of sour cherry coupled with a slightly-bitter almond finish. These wines are light in body, moderate in alcohol, and low in tannins, but producers now also make more complex and weightier styles within the superiore category. Made from selected grapes, these wines exhibit more structure and concentration, as well as a higher alcohol content and more aging potential. Wines made under the superiore desig- nation must be aged for at least one year. Valpolicella Ripasso DOC: Ripasso, a traditional winemaking technique for Valpolicella, entails pouring freshly-made Valpolicella wine through the vinacce (pomace) of Amarone and/or Recioto and leaving the wine to macerate on the skins for one to two weeks. This initiates a short refermentation of the wine and results in a heavier structure, fuller body/higher alcohol, more tannin, and higher overall complexity than basic Valpolicella. Valpolicella Ripasso must be aged for a minimum of one year. There is also a superiore ver- sion with a higher minimum alcohol content. Ripasso is stylistically considered to fall between the lighter, quaffable Valpolicella and the more powerful Amarone. THE APPELLATIONS AND WINES OF VALPOLICELLA CSARTORI DI VERONA FERDI GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Garganega REGION/ DENOMINATION: Veneto, Bianco Veronese IGT VINEYARDS: The hillside vineyards of the Soave zone east of Verona feature rocky, calcareous soil. WINEMAKING: Select hand-picked grapes are dried for 40 days to reduce water and concentrate sugar content and color. After pressing, the grapes undergo a short skin maceration at a low temperature. Part of the must is fermented in oak casks, with the remainder instead going in stainless steel. The wine then matures on its lees for six to seven months for added mouthfeel, flavor, and intensity. A minimum of four months of bottle refinement follows. to four months. During this period, the grapes lose at least half of their weight in water as they desiccate. e air-drying pro- cess concentrates sugars and extract, with the grapes kept under constant control as the bunches are turned regularly to avoid rot. Depending on the intended wine style, some producers allow for the slight development of noble rot (muffa nobile). Once the grapes have reached the desired level of desiccation and concen- tration, they're vinified. Successful appassimento is possible thanks to the ideal combi- nation of temperature and low humidity found in Valpolicella during autumn. Nowadays, several producers also adopt modern temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms equipped with fans that carry out the drying process more efficiently.