“Cresasso” Corvina Veronese IGT 2018 · 6 bottles in OWC

Zenato | Veneto
Zenato Az. Vitivinicola S.r.l. | Via San Benedetto 8 | IT 37019 Peschiera del Garda

03073218 · 4,5 l · 52,89 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping2 units available

Between stone and altitude. The name already reveals where this wine gets its soul from: from the highest parcels of the Tenuta Costalunga in Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella, where the ground gives way to bare rock at 300 to 350 metres. Cresasso – a word that describes precisely this encounter in the local dialect: where earth meets stone, where the Corvina must put down its deepest roots in the barren, calcareous moraine soil with its high proportion of skeleton and chalky white inclusions. Sergio Zenato's vision was to create a wine that celebrates Corvina Veronese in its purest form – without the accompaniment of Rondinella or Corvinone, without the appassimento technique of Amarone. Instead, a slight over-ripening on the vine, hand-picked in the second half of October, when the grapes have reached their maximum concentration. Vinification follows the rhythm of the fruit: 15 days of maceration at 25-26°C, then 24 months of ageing in French tonneaux, followed by at least a further year of bottle ageing. Time as an ally, not an adversary.

Deep, rich ruby red with dense, slowly flowing tears at the edge of the glass – substance is already visually apparent. The nose opens cautiously at first: red fruit, blueberry, blackberry. Then, after a few minutes in the glass, it unfolds: black cherry, cooked plum, dark jam, a hint of spice. The palate reveals the full power of Corvina: rich, savoury, mineral, with dense, fine-grained tannins that lead to a remarkably long finish. A wine for great meat dishes, game, mature cheeses – and for moments when you want to feel what happens when vine and stone meet. SUPERIORE.DE

"Notes of plum jam and raspberry ripple across the palate, underscored by loamy earth and mineral accents in this medium-bodied red wine supported by slightly chewy tannins. A well-meshed version with hints of warm spices, cocoa powder and medicinal herbs on the finish." Wine Spectator

"The 2018 Corvina Veronese Cresasso is dark and intense, displaying an array of notes of ash stone, dried flowers, liquorice and dusty blackcurrant. On the palate, it reveals a texture of pure silk, elegant and refined, while a wave of polished red and black fruit washes over it. A collection of crisp minerals accumulates towards the end. Purple flowers and a hint of lavender define the finish, while a touch of sour citrus provides contrast and sweet tannins linger. I expect the 2018 Cresasso to have a long and broad drinking window. Bravo." Vinous