“Calcarole” Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG 2017

Guerrieri Rizzardi | Veneto
Guerreri Rizzardi Az. Agr. | Strada Campazzi 2 | IT 37011 Bardolino | Italien

03242417 · 0,75 l · 104,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately

Basically, Calcarole is not a vineyard. It is a limestone rock. A terraced massif above the Villa di Rovereti in Negrar, exposed to the south-west, rising to 230 metres – the warmest single vineyard in Valpolicella Classica and at the same time the origin of the most elegant Amarone produced by Guerrieri Rizzardi. The secret lies in this contradiction. Six parcels, planted between 1986 and 2000, are predominantly planted with Corvina, supplemented by Barbera and Sangiovese – varieties that hardly thrive in Valpolicella, but on the hot limestone of Calcarole contribute precisely the freshness that counterbalances the solar concentration. It was this vineyard that produced the first Amarone ever to be honoured as Gambero Rosso's "Vino Rosso dell'Anno" in 2009. Since then, Calcarole has received the Tre Bicchieri in nine out of eleven vintages.

2017 – one of the hottest summers since 1994, with record temperatures in July and a harvest that was twenty per cent below average – became both the acid test and the proof. This is because the limestone, which hardly retains any water, cools noticeably at night and retains a citrus-like acidity structure that makes all the difference in warm years. The Riserva 2017 therefore does not display a heated heaviness, but a bright purity: blackberry, sour cherry, violet, clove, underneath a salty minerality that seems to come directly from the rock. On the palate, the softness of the tannins is surprising – the low proportion of Corvinone makes Calcarole the smoothest of the three Amarones – while the acidity keeps the wine taut and long. Calcarole reverses expectations. It is proof that in Valpolicella it is not the coolest but the smartest vineyard that produces the finest wine. SUPERIORE.DE

"Dark ruby red colour with a dark core and subtly brightening rim. Very inviting on the nose, fresh berry fruit, rose petal, fragrant and clear, reminiscent of strawberries and citrus fruits, light minty aftertaste. On the palate with a clear fruit centre and a juicy finish, medium-bodied, very accessible, fine to drink." Falstaff

"The Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Calcarole 2017 is very expressive, with a bouquet of spiced black cherries, dusty dried roses and cloves. The palate is flooded with an abundance of tart red and black fruits, underlined by salty minerals and contrasted by textures of pure velvet. The juicy acidity provides fantastic balance, while the 2017 finishes dramatically long and gently tannic, with a tart raspberry aftertaste that lingers. Guerrieri Rizzardi is always characterised by the use of Barbera and Sangiovese in the blend, which is made up of 70% Corvina, 10% Barbera, 10% Rondinella, 7% Sangiovese and 3% Corvinone." Vinous