Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2014 750ml

Giuseppe Quintarelli is a legendary estate located in the hills north of Verona in the heart of the  Valpolicella appellation. It is regarded by many as the greatest of all Amarone producers, and is known for its traditional deep, complex wines packaged with distinctive handwritten labels. The great man Quintarelli himself, known as il Maestro del Veneto, died in 2012 aged 84 but the winery remains family-owned and managed.

“This was a humid and rainy vintage and many producers in the Valpolicella decided not to make their top-shelf Amarone wines, directing their fruit to wines like this instead. The Quintarelli Giuseppe 2014 Valpolicella Classico Superiore offers a spicy opener with tarry smoke and cured tobacco. It also shows some tart and brambly fruit, and this ties into what we can expect of the vintage. In truth, the ripeness is present and balanced. It undergoes a partial and brief appassimento. The 2014 is thinner than past vintages have been, but I am very much enjoying this more streamlined and elegant approach.” Monica Larner, Wine Advocate. (2021)