Country: Italy  Region: Veneto  Vintage: 2012 Category: Sweet Red  Color: Red Producer: Cantina Valpantena "Run by Luca Degani since 1995, the Cantina Valpantena is now one of Italy's best co-operatives, with 700 hectares of vineyard producing excellent quality fruit. Matt Thomson makes some of the Alpha Zeta wines here and has worked closely with them since 1999. Known as the 'valley of god' to the ancient Greeks, the Valpantena is well-known for its high quality red wines, due partly to the limestone soils but also because of the cool breeze that blows down the valley from the foothills of the Dolomites. The Torre del Falasco wines are the standard bearers of this co-operative. Their Valpolicella Valpantena, illustrates why this valley has always been regarded as at least as good as the Classico zone. The Ripasso is a fuller and riper style than Alpha Zeta, as is their Amarone." Winemaker: Lorenzo Caramazza Vineyards: The grapes for the Recioto are grown on the steeply terraced hillside vineyards belonging to the co-op, where soils are chalky and poor. The wine is a blend of two different varieties. Vinification: Once picked, the grapes dried for at least four months in the Valpantena drying centre where temperature and humidity are controlled to ensure slow, even drying. During this period, the grapes lost 40% in weight. After drying, the grapes were fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at between 18-22°C with maceration for 12 days. Once fermentation was complete, the wine matured in oak barriques for 12 months before bottling. Tasting Notes:  Intense ruby red colour, with delicate aromas of blackberry jam and spicy hints on the nose. This wine is very elegant and well-structured on the palate. Closure: Natural Cork  ABV: 13%  Acidity [g/l]: 5.5