Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy
From grand cru clay and limestone moraine soils in the heart of the Valpolicella zone, the family-run Tedeschi estate employs the traditional method of drying the Veneto’s finest indigenous red varietals for one month to craft this masterpiece of a Valpolicella. A translucent black-ruby color in the bowl, Tedeschi’s Capitel Nicalò casts brooding aromas of black cherries, black currants, bitter orange zest, and Ceylon tea. Rich and layered on the palate, the wine conveys deep expressions of Bing cherry, cassis, and black raspberry fruit alongside fine tannins and suggestions of fresh sage, lavender, black peppercorns, licorice, and perfumed soil. Spicy and lively on the finish, the Capitel Nicalò leaves the palate with lingering suggestions of cigar tobacco, tangy blackberries, savory herbs, and dusty limestone soil. This is deep, complex, soil-driven Valpolicella that will prove a perfect foil for rich pork braises, hearty salumi, hard sheep’s milk cheeses, egg-rich pasta dishes, and roast poultry and game birds. Enjoy now or over the coming seven years.
An April 2021 newsletter selection
