2015 Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico

The 2015 Giuseppe Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico is one of Italy's most iconic sweet red wines. This rare Recioto is produced exclusively in the best years and forms the historical basis of the famous Amarone. Whereas Amarone is fully fermented, Recioto retains some of its natural grape sugars, resulting in a wine of unprecedented intensity, refinement, and balance. The 2015 is an exceptional vintage in which power, freshness, and elegance come together perfectly.

Giuseppe Quintarelli

No name enjoys more prestige in Valpolicella than Giuseppe Quintarelli. The family estate in Negrar is regarded worldwide as the absolute benchmark for Amarone, Recioto, and other traditional wines from the region. It is not without reason that Quintarelli is popularly known as the "Maestro del Veneto".

Everything here is done according to traditional methods that have remained largely unchanged. The grapes are harvested by hand, carefully selected, and then dried for months using the centuries-old appassimento process. Aging takes place in large Slavonian oak barrels for many years, after which each bottle is finished with the distinctive handwritten label. This artisanal approach and extremely low production make every Quintarelli a sought-after collector's item.

For more information about Giuseppe Quintarelli, please refer to the Winery tab.

Recioto della Valpolicella Classico

Recioto is the oldest and most traditional wine of Valpolicella and is considered the precursor to Amarone. Only the finest grape bunches are selected for this wine. After the harvest, the grapes dry for several months on traditional racks, allowing water to evaporate and aromas, sugars, and extract to become highly concentrated.

Unlike Amarone, fermentation is deliberately stopped before all natural sugars have been converted into alcohol. This results in a rich, velvety dessert wine in which sweetness, freshness, and complexity are perfectly balanced.

Grapes and vinification

The wine is made from a traditional blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and small quantities of local grape varieties sourced from the Classico zone of Valpolicella. After the prolonged appassimento, a slow fermentation follows, after which the wine ages for years in large Slavonian oak barrels. Only when the Quintarelli family deems the wine fully ready to drink is it bottled and released. This extremely long aging process creates unprecedented complexity and harmony.

Scent, taste and character

The 2015 opens with an impressive bouquet of black cherries, dried plums, figs, and raisins, followed by cocoa, dark chocolate, coffee, tobacco, orange peel, cinnamon, clove, and sweet spices. As the wine opens up, more and more nuances of balsamic, truffle, and Mediterranean herbs emerge.

On the palate, the wine is exceptionally rich and velvety, yet at the same time remarkably lively. The natural freshness prevents the wine from ever becoming heavy or sluggish. Flavors of dried black fruit, mocha, dark chocolate, spices, and candied orange are supported by silky tannins and impressive concentration.

The finish is endlessly long and harmonious, with sweetness, freshness, and minerality fully blending together. This is a wine that continues to develop layer by layer, revealing new aromas with every sip.

Storage potential

Like all great Quintarelli wines, this Recioto possesses exceptional aging potential. Although it already displays great complexity, it will continue to develop for decades to come. With optimal storage, this wine can effortlessly shine well beyond 2050.