2007 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Monte dei Ragni, Fumane

2007 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Monte dei Ragni, Fumane

Product: 9139
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2007 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Monte dei Ragni, Fumane

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Description

Just to clarify: it’s a Superiore as opposed to a ‘Ripasso’ on account of it not being passed over the lees of Amarone. A blend of autochthonous varieties Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara, Oseleta, Croatina, Sangioveto, the fruit was picked fresh from Zeno’s pergola trained vineyards & dried on wooden cassette/baskets for two weeks in an open barn (above a growing collection of vintage tractors!)

This natural (not forced) process leads to an evaporation of approx 10%of the water; the fruit being pressed once the stalks have turned brown (or else the green chlorophyll stains the wine & the taste). Fermented in open french tonneau (500 litre) before being aged for approx 3 years in the very same (used) tonneaux. What strikes you about this wine is its sublime gentleness, purity & drinkability.

Tasted blind you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a very ripe Pinot Noir! 2007 was dry & hot; some parts of the Valpolicella zone were hit by hail, but not in Zeno’s town of Fumane. Both the colour & nose of this wine echo the warmth of the vintage, being a sunny bright red colour with distinct ‘rosa canina’ (wild rose) floral & red berry notes, along with those of dried grass & spice.

The dry medium/full palate’s so textural with crushed strawberry flavours kept fresh & sapid by the salty, tangy that Zeno attributes to the (now outlawed?!) Molinara grape (pale in colour & richly structured). A brilliant companion at any meal, especially where there’s salami served. Drinking now till 2017 at least.
(David Berry Green)

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About this WINE

Monte dei Ragni

Monte dei Ragni

Azienda Agricola Monte dei Ragni is a tiny jewel of a Valpolicella wine estate perched at between 250 - 350 metres above sea level on the vertiginous slopes above Fumane at the heart of the  Valpolicella Classico zone.

Only 2 hectares of the total 8 available are planted with a view to making wine; part pergola, part guyot. Production is circa 3000 bts of the Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso and 1200 bts of the Amarone. The remaining 6ha of fruit is currently sold off.

Zeno Zignoli married into the Ragno family and then spent eight years preparing the ground, with the aide of a horse, before releasing his first wine with vintage 2003. Vinification is entirely in oak, predominantly used tonneau.

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Corvina, Corvinone blend

Corvina, Corvinone blend

Corvina is widely grown on the Veneto shore of Lake Garda and the hills of Valpolicella to the north and north-east of Verona. Sometimes known as Corvina Veronese, it is blended with Rondinella and Molinara to produce Valpolicella and Bardolino. It can be a tricky grape to cultivate, as it ripens late and is prone to rot if affected by rains at harvest time. It is a high-yielding grape and quality is very dependent on keeping yields low.

Corvina-based red wines can range in style from a light, cherryish red to the rich, port-like Recioto and Amarone Valpolicellas. Most Valpolicella from the plains is pale and insipid, and bears little comparison with Valpolicella Classico from the hills. Some producers such as Allegrini are now producing very high quality 100% Corvina wines.

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