The Sweet Nectar of Valpolicella: The Ancestor of Amarone
Discover Fugolo Gianluca's 2021 Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG, a sweet wine that represents Valpolicella's oldest and most noble tradition. Intense, velvety, and of extraordinary complexity, this Recioto embodies the millennia-old art of grape drying and the mastery of Veronese producers in creating meditation wines of absolute excellence.
The Story
Recioto della Valpolicella is the oldest and most traditional wine of the Veronese area, produced since Roman times. The name "Recioto" derives from the Veronese dialect "recia" (ear), which refers to the upper part of the grape bunch, the part most exposed to the sun and therefore richer in sugars. These selected grapes were air-dried to create a sweet and precious wine, reserved for special occasions.
Legend has it that Amarone was born by chance from a Recioto forgotten in the barrel, which fermented completely and became dry. But Recioto remains the original wine, the one that Valpolicella producers have created for centuries: a sweet, complex, and long-lived wine, obtained from air-dried grapes that concentrate sugars, aromas, and polyphenols.
The DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) designation, obtained in 2010, recognizes the excellence and uniqueness of this wine. Recioto must be produced with indigenous grapes (Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella) air-dried for at least 100 days in ventilated drying rooms, losing approximately 30-40% of their weight in water and concentrating all the noble components.
Gianluca Fugolo represents the artisanal excellence of Valpolicella. His winery, located in the heart of the classic area, passionately carries on the Recioto tradition, manually selecting the best bunches and following every production phase with meticulous care. The result is a wine of extraordinary elegance and complexity.
This 2021 Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG stands out for its intense and enveloping aromatic profile: notes of red and black fruits in spirits (cherry, sour cherry, plum), dried fruit (figs, dates, raisins), sweet spices (cinnamon, cloves), cocoa, dark chocolate, and honey. On the palate, it is sweet but not cloying, with an extraordinary freshness that balances the sweetness, silky tannins, and a long, persistent finish. A wine of great elegance and complexity, destined to evolve magnificently over time.
Production Area
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG, classic Valpolicella area, province of Verona, Veneto. The vineyards extend over the hills of Valpolicella Classica (municipalities of Fumane, Marano, Negrar, San Pietro in Cariano, and Sant'Ambrogio), at an altitude between 150 and 500 meters above sea level.
The terroir is characterized by calcareous and basaltic soils, poor and well-drained, which give the wines minerality, elegance, and complexity. The climate is temperate, with influences from Lake Garda that mitigate temperatures. The well-exposed and ventilated hills are ideal for the natural air-drying of the grapes.
After the harvest (late September-early October), the best bunches are manually selected and placed on racks or in crates in drying rooms, ventilated environments where the grapes slowly dry for 100-120 days. During this period, water evaporates, sugars concentrate, and complex aromas develop. Vinification takes place in winter, followed by aging for at least 2 years before commercialization.
Suggested Pairings
Chocolate desserts: Dark chocolate cake, brownies, chocolate mousse, profiteroles, Sacher torte.
Dry pastries: Dry biscuits, cantucci, amaretti, almond paste cookies, shortbread.
Traditional desserts: Pandoro, panettone, colomba pasquale, apple strudel, fruit tart.
Blue cheeses: Sweet Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort, goat's blue cheese. The sweet-savory pairing is extraordinary.
Aged cheeses: Aged Parmigiano Reggiano (36-48 months), aged Pecorino, Grana Padano.
Dried fruit and chocolate: Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, dark chocolate (70-80% cocoa).
Spoon desserts: Tiramisu, panna cotta, crème brûlée, zabaglione.
Meditation: Excellent on its own, for meditation, as a conversation wine after dinner.
Recommended serving: Serve in sweet wine glasses, in small quantities (50-75ml per person).
Storage: This Recioto has an aging potential of 15-20 years. Store horizontally, in the dark, at a constant temperature (12-15°C).
An extraordinarily elegant and complex Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG, perfect for special occasions, refined gifts, and for those seeking a sweet wine of absolute excellence. Recioto represents the pinnacle of Veronese winemaking tradition and an unforgettable sensory experience.
