Vineyards and winemaking
This Recioto is led by 65% Corvina with 20% Rondinella, 5% Molinara and other old local varieties from Corteforte’s vineyards in Fumane. Particular attention is given to the well-exposed outer shoulders of the bunches, traditionally called the recie, whose fully ripe berries provide the sweetness, perfume and structure required for the style.
The selected grapes were dried for several months. A first portion was pressed in January and encouraged to ferment at a cool, steady temperature; in early March, juice from the remaining sugar-rich fruit was added. Fermentation was stopped while natural sweetness remained, before maturation in a combination of seasoned and newer wooden casks and further rest in bottle.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Deep garnet red with ruby highlights and a gently evolved edge.
Nose
Black cherry preserve, plum and dried violet are joined by liquorice, cinnamon and cocoa. Notes of orange peel and baking spice lift the wine’s rich, fragrant profile.
Palate
Silky and sweet, with concentrated cherry and berry fruit balanced by lively acidity and fine tannin. Vanilla, dark chocolate and spice build towards a long finish that remains harmonious rather than cloying.
Food pairing
Pour with chocolate and hazelnut torte, pear and almond tart, cherry Bakewell pudding, or a mature blue cheese. It is also satisfying in a small glass with cantucci or toasted walnuts after dinner.
Background story
Recioto is the historic sweet red wine of Valpolicella and the precursor to Amarone. Its name is associated with the recie, the exposed “ears” or shoulders of a grape bunch, long prized for their ripeness and used by Corteforte as part of a notably painstaking, staged fermentation.
Corteforte has produced wine commercially since 1989 from a fortified Fumane property whose origins reach back to the early 1400s. The estate’s tiny vineyard area and deep cellars suit limited batches such as this 50cl bottling, with time in wood and bottle used to bring composure to Recioto’s natural richness.
