Country: Italy Region: Veneto Vintage: 2019 Producer: Torre Del Falasco VINTAGEThe 2019 vintage saw a warmer winter with lower rainfall thanusual. However, in April and May, rain caused drastic changes intemperature and slowed the growing cycle. The hot and dryweather throughout June and July brought good average sugarlevels and balanced acidity.PRODUCERThe Torre del Falasco wines are the standard bearers of this cooperative, situated in the Valpantena, northeast of Verona.Known as the ’valley of god’ to the ancient Greeks, this area iswell-known for its high quality red wines, due partly to the soils butalso because of the cool breeze that blows down the valley fromthe foothills of the Dolomites. Run by Luca Degani since 1995, theCantina di 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 hasworked closely with them since 1999.VINEYARDSThe grapes for the Corvina Veronese are grown on the steeplyterraced, hillside vineyards belonging to the co-operative, whichare situated 100 - 300 metres above sea level. The vines are Guyottrained on poor chalky soils.VINIFICATIONAfter a brief drying period, the Corvina grapes were destemmedand crushed before undergoing a gentle maceration and slowfermentation in stainless-steel tanks at temperatures between 22-28°C. This wine saw no oak to emphasise its fresh, youthfulcharacteristics.TASTING NOTESBright and fresh on the nose, this wine opens with perfumes of juicyred cherries. Youthful with a soft, approachable structure that isgiven depth by the partial drying process, this is a well-balancedwine with lovely bitter cherry notes on the finish.