Corvina Veronese 2020

The Zeni family, 5 generations old, began producing wines in 1870. The Valpolicella wine-growing area, one of the best known in Italy, extends over the hills north of the historic city of Verona. This cuvée is produced from Corvina grapes, the region's emblematic grape variety, from the province of Verona. The vines grow on hilly soils of moraine and volcanic origin. The harvest is manual and meticulous because here we harvest the best bunches. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats with maceration on skins for 2-3 weeks. Then, the wine will be aged for 10 months in vats, without oak barrels, to keep the purity and expression of the grape variety as much as possible. This wine reveals aromas of raspberry coulis , blackberries , cherry , cranberries , red plum , cocoa , sweet spices , blackcurrant , blond tobacco and forest notes . On the palate, there is lightness and elegance, close to the texture of a Pinot Noir. The tannins are melted and the finish leaves a nice persistence on the spices.

Ah Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, people of the Dolce Vita, but what difficulty in understanding its wine organization! The key to understanding the naming system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous country because each region has its own naming system. Italy can, however, give wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, as well as bottles filled with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless and characterless wines which are sold under their most useful and commercially reputable name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others... But let's talk a little history, viticulture in Italy dates back to ancient times and it originated in Greece. The Etruscans would have planted vines and Greek immigrants would have improved and modified the grape varieties who subsequently called this country "Oenotria": the country of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life and certain regions already stood out for the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible testimony to their invasion. Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic areas. The northern mountains experience a fairly harsh mountain climate. The “middle of the boot” plain is the domain of the continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the "southern part of the Italian boot" the Mediterranean climate reigns with very hot and very dry summers without forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In summary, Italy produces wines of great variety thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originate from their lands. It is a country just as complex as its wines which deserve to be explored!