The 2008 Valpolicella Superiore shows what this estate is capable of in a strong vintage. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries tobacco and crushed rocks float on the palate as the wine shows off its immense pedigree and sheer class. Though deceptively medium in body at the outset, the wine gains volume and muscle with time in the glass. The Valpolicella is all about finesse and elegance. If there is a more refined Valpolicella being made today in Veneto, I want to taste it. This is a dazzling effort from proprietor Marco Sartori. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018.
Proprietor Marco Sartori embodies all of the best qualities of Valpolicella's top artisan growers. A meticulous focus on quality means that the top wines - the Amarone and Reciotos - are only produced in the very best vintages. Sartori favors a relatively laid-back style for his Amarone. The grapes are pressed on the first day allowed by regulations, with a goal of keeping residual sugar in the 5.5-8.0-grams per liter range. Over the last few vintages Sartori has begun giving his wines 24-26 months in oak, 6 months less than before, and more time in bottle, again with the goal of maintaining as much freshness as possible. All of the new releases are highly recommended, but the 2008 Valpolicella is the under-the-radar gem in this lineup.
Importers: Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500; Artisan Wine, Norwalk, CT; tel. (203) 866-4552
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