2018 Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore
Do not let the word “Valpolicella” fool you. In the hands of Quintarelli, this bottling is essentially a baby Amarone,
2018 Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore Read Post »
Producer
Quintarelli
I have reviewed 16 wines from Quintarelli, from the 2009 to 2024 vintages, across Veneto, Amarone della Valpolicella, Valpolicella and others. Most are Corvina. Scores range from 92 to 99, averaging 96; the highest is the 2009 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva (99 points). Quintarelli also features in one journal article on this site.
Giuseppe “Bepi” Quintarelli was the Maestro of the Veneto, a legend whose handwritten labels are recognized worldwide. His father Silvio founded the estate in 1924 on the eastern slope of the Negrar Valley, in the heart of Valpolicella Classico. Bepi’s patience defined a style of Amarone that became the reference point for the whole region, and his family — his daughter Fiorenza with her husband Giampaolo and their sons Francesco and Lorenzo — runs the estate by the same principles today.
The twelve hectares of vineyards sit on volcanic and limestone soils, farmed without chemicals and for low yields. Grapes for Amarone are dried for months before a long fermentation, and the wine rests for years in large Slavonian oak casks before release; the Riserva, made only in exceptional vintages, spends around a decade in wood. In difficult years there is no Amarone at all, and the fruit goes into Rosso del Bepi instead — a kind of self-control that has almost disappeared from the wine world.
The range is wider than people think. The Valpolicella Classico Superiore is essentially a baby Amarone, sleek rather than heavy: half the grapes are pressed straight away and half are dried for about two months, and the wine is then refermented on the Amarone lees. Alzero applies the drying method to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot; Primofiore is the freshest, most immediate red; the Cà del Merlo Bianco Secco is one of the most singular whites in the Veneto; and Amabile del Cerè and the Recioto show the sweet side. Quintarelli’s Amarone is not a dessert wine: it is dry, structural and profound — the gold standard I measure the category against, and the wine that made me want to become a sommelier.
Wine Reviews for Quintarelli
Show 7 more reviews
- 2009 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva99
- 2018 Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore97
- 2024 Giuseppe Quintarelli “Cà del Merlo” Bianco Secco94
- 2023 Giuseppe Quintarelli “Primofiore” Veneto93
- 2018 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico96
- 2017 Giuseppe Quintarelli “Alzero” Cabernet92
- 2016 Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi Veneto97
2024 Giuseppe Quintarelli “Cà del Merlo” Bianco Secco
People forget that Quintarelli makes a white wine, and it is a massive mistake to overlook it. A field blend
2024 Giuseppe Quintarelli “Cà del Merlo” Bianco Secco Read Post »
2023 Giuseppe Quintarelli “Primofiore” Veneto
The “First Flower.” If you want the Quintarelli magic without waiting a decade or spending hundreds of dollars, this is
2018 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
The benchmark. The absolute gold standard. I am constantly warning people away from the heavy, residual-sugar bombs that dominate the
2018 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Read Post »
2017 Giuseppe Quintarelli “Alzero” Cabernet
IIf you want to understand the absolute ceiling of what the appassimento method can achieve with Bordeaux varietals, Alzero is
Giuseppe Quintarelli – A Legacy Bottled in Time
Italian wine world recognizes Giuseppe Quintarelli as a name which produces a deep resonant sound across Valpolicella and all its
2016 Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi Veneto
Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi 2016 is a true masterpiece from one of Italy’s most famous producer. For those familiar