About Recioto

Recioto is a passito DOCG wine from the Veneto region in north-east Italy.

The name comes from the local dialect "recie" which means "ears".

The "recie" are the small parts of grape bunches placed on its sides, like ears on the two sides of a face.

These "recie" are more exposed to sunlight and closest to the stem, therefore the sweetest.

In Autumn, after harvest, the "recie" remain in lofts above wineries to dry traditionally for 4 months.

Lofts are well-ventilated to prevent undesired mold from forming.

Towards the end of January, the dried grapes are squeezed and can start the skin contact fermentation, which must be interrupted at the right stage in order to preserve its sweet taste. So it is stored for aging.

A legend says that a winemaker forgot to stop the fermentation, resulting in a bitter Recioto. Bitter in italian is "amaro". The wine was called "the great bitter": Amarone.

The typical grape varieties are Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara.

The Valpolicella Wine Region

Valpolicella is a valley by Lake Garda near Verona in Northeast Italy.

Valpolicella is also a well-known red wine from Veneto. The grapes used in Valpolicella are Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Molinara.

Valpolicella comes in various styles:

1. Valpolicella DOC the lightest.
   Light, fragrant wines produced in a Vino Novello style, similar to Beaujolais Nouveau and released only a few weeks after harvest (out for sale on 30 October).
2. Valpolicella Ripasso DOC the boldest.
   A Valpolicella Superiore made with both fresh and dried grapes. The grape skins that have been left over from the fermentation of Amarone or Recioto add flavors like baked fruit, cedar, and tobacco to the new grapes.
3. Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG the king.
   Made with dehydrated grapes to add full body, cherry, plum, and pine resin notes. This wine was born out of a mistake:
   Recioto was left to ferment too long, resulting in a dry wine that became Valpolicella`s star.
4. Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG the sweet.
   The historical-traditional sweet wine from this valley, dating back to Roman times.