Valpolicella Wines' New Path

Valpolicella Wines' New Path

The 2019 harvest is ready to start in Valpolicella and new rules of production are setted to be used.

Recently, the members’ assembly of Consorzio Valpolicella (the wine board of Valpolicella producers) approved a modification in the production rules of the appellation,  and according to the Consorzio president Andrea Sartori, “this is just the beginning”. Is new dawn approaching this important wine region? We’ll see. 
The newly approved rules are the following…

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Harvest 2015 and a recommended reading

Harvest 2015 and a recommended reading

Afterwards a quite difficult vintage, this 2015 harvest in Valpolicella looks a lot better, mainly for the red grapes. If 2014 has been claimed by the producers (in Verona area) as “a vintage for white wines”,  2015 is a “red wines vintage” definitely. 
The 2015 vintage is quite similar to 2007 -  the Consortium Valpolicella says - The wines will be structured, full-bodied and alcoholic (15-16° Vol.)”...

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Harvest 2014 in Valpolicella: how did it go?

Harvest 2014 in Valpolicella: how did it go?

It has been a difficult and stressful harvest, a real challenge for the most producers, and if you ask anyone in Valpolicella, you’ll be replied that nobody remembers a vintage like this.

Now the harvest is over, so let’s try to summarize a few objective facts.

The 2014 vintage started very early: the early stages of germination were 15 days in advance of the media. Up to June everything was fine, but afterwards the temperatures dropped; July and August were cold and rainy.

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Flash: Roccolo Grassi adds his "no" to Amarone in 2014

Marco Sartori, owner at Roccolo Grassi

Marco Sartori, owner at Roccolo Grassi

The unfortunate 2014 vintage collects another winegrower of Amarone and Valpolicella wines, Roccolo Grassi, that announces giving up to produce Amarone della Valpolicella 2014. Marco Sartori, the owner, revealed he anticipated the news privately to a friend early at the end of August, and yesterday, Saturday 13th, he made it publicly on Facebook (link in Italian). Roccolo Grassi adds himself to the growing list of Amarone producers that did the same choice like Romano Dal FornoBertani and others smaller producers like Terre di Pietra and Tenute Ugolini.

On the same topic, please see our pre-harvest report and this post about the difficult decisions facing Valpolicella producers.

Flash: Romano Dal Forno sad decision, no Amarone in 2014

Romano Dal Forno

Romano Dal Forno

Romano Dal Forno, the iconic winegrower of Amarone and Valpolicella wines, sadly joins Bertani and others smaller producers like Terre di Pietra and Tenute Ugolini. In an announcement released here (in Italian) he gives up to produce Amarone della Valpolicella 2014:

"This unfortunate vintage poses a lot of big question marks. We must think to the final consumer: the real wine lover cannot expect a high quality Amarone, and resellers and restaurant owners might see in this vintage more problems than opportunities in which to invest. On our side, we'll try to do our best with the Valpolicella wine".

On the same topic, please see our pre-harvest report and this post about the difficult decisions facing Valpolicella producers.

Harvest 2014, Valpolicella producers lower grape quantity for Amarone

Harvest 2014, Valpolicella producers lower grape quantity for Amarone

In a dramatic development following some recent anticipations about a very difficult harvest in Valpolicella (see our report), we learnt that Consorzio Tutela Valpolicella (the organization representing local wine bottlers, cooperatives, wine producers and winegrowers), decided to lower from 50% to 35% the amount of grapes to be reserved for the drying process for the production of Amarone  2014.

Due to a month and a half of heavy rain, hail storms and excessive soil humidity, the health of grapes seems to be undermined almost everywhere in Valpolicella, with the exception of some hills exposed to local fresh winds (for more details, please read our report here)...

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2014: difficult harvest in Valpolicella? Our report

2014: difficult harvest in Valpolicella? Our report

The vintage 2014 in Valpolicella risks to be remembered for its rainfalls and fungal aggressiveness: to find a similar one, you have to come back to 1995. Due to a month and half of heavy rain, hail storms and excessive soil humidity, the health of grapes seems to be undermined almost everywhere, with the exception of some hills exposed to local fresh winds.

Currently, this is the situation...

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