Guerrieri Rizzardi Valpolicella Classico

Guerrieri Rizzardi Valpolicella Classico

WHY WE LOVE IT

  • “Classico” designated Valpolicella has been the exception rather than the norm since the region’s massive expansion in the 1970’s, with all vineyards approved for the zone situated with hillside exposure.
  • Sourced from three “cru” vineyards (Pojega, Calcarole, and the monopole of Roverti) – This is a level of provenance unheard of for the price.
  • Made in a timeless style that is hard to find nowadays – This bottling has always been about balance, with bright fruit and crunchy acid.

Varietal Composition: 40% Corvina, 40% Corvinone, 15% Merlot, 5% Rondinella

Elaboration: In the winery in Negar, the alcoholic fermentation and maceration of de-stemmed grapes is carried out over usually 10 days at temperature of 77° F. Kept in stainless steel 12 months before bottling.

Tasting Notes: The Valpolicella displays the merits of this much heralded vintage, more full bodied than most years with a wealth of ripe, dark berried fruit, the wine is structured and vibrant with fine tannin, giving support and a lively freshness balancing the rich nature of the fruit.

PRESS

2020 – 90 James Suckling | 90 Decanter

2015 – 93 Wine Advocate

PRODUCER BACKGROUND

Guerrieri-Rizzardi, the historic house in Veneto, dates back to the unification of two ancient estates in 1913, when Carlo Rizzardi from Valpolicella, married Guiseppina Guerrieri of Bardolino. From the 1950s Antonio Rizzardi managed and developed the estates, focusing on viticulture and in the 1970s he acquired the estate in Soave. 2011 saw the opening of the new winery on the hills of Bardolino. The result of a long-term plan to re-locate and modernize the entire production process. Rizzardi’s new winery is completely solar powered, combining the best that technology offers in a carbon neutral way with vineyards that have been in the family for centuries. With extensive holdings of “cru” acreage, the family is well known throughout Europe for their sensational, mineral rich example of Soave Classico, the tension driven Ripasso they produce from Pojega, and most importantly for making one of the most classical and age-worthy examples of single vineyard Amarone in the region.

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