Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone 2013

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Venerated as the Maestro del Veneto, the late Giuseppe Quintarelli and his wines hold near-mythical status in the world of wine. After tasting them for myself, I can see why. There’s an interplay between boldness and finesse in these wines that continues to evolve in the glass. And while these are clearly serious, layered wines, they are also pure joy to drink.

His wines are wonderful examples of Giuseppe Quintarelli’s uncompromising approach to winegrowing, which is reflected in the amount of time, effort, patience, and care that go into the making of a bottle of Quintarelli. It truly is so much more than wine.

About Guiseppe Quintarelli

Located in the Valpolicella zone in north-eastern Italy, the estate produces wines revered by oenophiles around the world. It was established in 1924 but it was Giuseppe Quintarelli, in charge from the mid-1950s until his death in 2012, who drove its success.

Guiseppe Quintarelli, affectionately known as ‘Bepi’, established the legendary estate over the course of his amazing sixty-year career. He produced wines that inspired passions far beyond any other producer’s in the Veneto, and like few others in Italy. In an era that emphasized mass production over attention to detail, Quintarelli made wines without compromise, with labour-intensive methods and painstaking attention in the vineyard.

While traditional practice served as the foundations of Quintarelli’s winegrowing practice, it does not follow that Giuseppe is afraid of innovation. As well as the excellent Amarone, he produces an excellent dry white wine called Bianco Secco and a flamboyant, but powerful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Corvina labelled Primo Fiore and sought after as any cult Cabernet.

Today Giuseppe’s daughter Fiorenza, his son-in-law Giampaolo, and his grandsons Francesco and Lorenzo are all keeping a close watch over the family’s legacy.

In the Vineyard

The winery sits in the hills above the town of Negrar, which is located in the heart of the Valpolicella zone in Veneto. The estate comprises 10 hectares of vineyards with three hectares on the hill called Monte Ca’ Paletta next to the winery. They use the pergola Veronese system for the local varieties – Corvina, Rondinella and Corvinone – and Guyot for the international varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot). Sustainable viticulture is at the core what they do.

The Quintarelli approach to winemaking means sacrificing quantity for quality; yields are deliberately held extremely low by rigorous pruning and green harvesting.

In the Winery

During harvest, multiple passages through the vineyards produce a myriad of wines, many produced using the appassimento technique whereby the grapes are dried on rush mats before being pressed and made into wine. During the time that this occurs, the grapes will lose up to 50% of their weight, resulting in intensely concentrated flavours and a very high sugar content, which in turn translates into 15% alcohol levels or even higher.

Where in the World are Giuseppe Quintarelli?

Giuseppe Quintarelli’s estate is located in the Negar Valley in Valpolicella zone. This area is part of the greater Veneto region in the north-east of Italy.