Quintarelli Tasting

This was my first experience tasting the wines of Giuseppe Quintarelli, although for some time i've coveted these rare bottles with their curious, hand-scripted labels. While his Amarone, Alzero, and sweet wines are mostly out of my range, this was a strong tasting all around. In particular, i will definitely keep my eyes open for other vintages of his Valpolicella Classico normale, which is anything but normal.

• 2005 Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco Secco Cà del Merlo

  Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT

  A blend of equal parts sauvignon blanc, garganega and tocai. Light straw color. Nectar of white flowers on the nose. Oily on the palate with green apple and lemon peel, and tangy acidity. Nice rich finish without obvious oak. I'm not sure if i'd pay the tariff here ($37 regular price), but this is a very nice wine.

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• 2003 Giuseppe Quintarelli Primofiore Veneto IGT

  Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT

  According to the notes, Primofiore is made with an earlier harvest from the same vineyards used to produce Quintarelli's Cà del Merlo, and includes the varieties Croatina, Corvina and Rondinella. The wine is nearly opaque, with a bright purplish hue, turning ruby and transparent at the rim. Very young, peppery nose. Flavors of black fruit, crushed pink peppercorns, tobacco, with some slightly stalky flavors that are not objectionable. Silky in the mouth, with savory accents. Very young tasting. Interesting, but this would be a pass for me at the $45 regular price.

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• 1999 Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore

  Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico Superiore

  From the notes, this is a blend of old-vine Corvina and Rondinella, with some Molinara and Negrara blended in for additional spice and structure. Ruby in color, slight advanced in appearance, lightening at the rim. One whiff and this is clearly a big step up from the Primofiore, a WOW nose, just delightful, with copious sweet red fruits, cherry, leather, roasted meat, and some clay/mineral notes; has me flashing a bit on aged Brunello. Silky in the mouth with juicy cherry fruit, tobacco, a touch of animale, no obvious RS. Moderate finish with slight tannins. Delicious, although the palate doesn't quite measure up to the stunning nose at this time. Probably better than any Amarone, much less straight Valpo i've had, save a Masi single vineyard i tasted last year. Drinking well now, i think this will flesh out more with another 2 years. This is a winner and i bit for one at the $63 sale price, regular is $75.

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• 1999 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo Veneto IGT

  Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT

  From the notes, this is made with the same varietals as the Valpo, but picked later, and with a higher percentage of the juice treated to ripasso. Dark ruby color, and a fruitier nose than the 99 Valpo, with rich, sour cherry and lots of estery fruit perfume, but overall much tighter. Darker fruit profile on the palate, slightly muted, but clearly stacked with dry extract. Flavors of sweet cherry, chocolate, tobacco, almost gritty from the concentration. Unresolved tannins, and showing a little heat on the finish. Good potential here, but needs time. $75 regular price.

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• 1990 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amabile del Cerè Veneto IGT

  Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT

  According to the tasting notes, this is only the fifth time Quintarelli has produced this late harvest, botrytis-affected passito, made from mostly garganega with smaller amounts of sauvignon blanc and tocai. This wine has an honeyed, amber appearance, and a wonderful nose of brown sugar, orange oil, and dried apple, with madeira-like toffee and caramel notes. A wow moment as the wonderful, sweet nutty richness expands in the mouth, reminiscent of the best vin santo i've had, turned up to 11. But then the finish kicks it up another notch with a nearly endless, explosive burst of buttery apricot/walnut/brown sugar flavors. Truly remarkable stuff, but alas not affordable for mere mortals at a regular price of $200 for 375ml.

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