In past times there was Recioto della Valpolicella, then came Amarone, the robust and renowned red wine, famous in the world for its quality and elegance. The story tells Amarone was born from Recioto, by accident or by the will of a far-sighted viticulturist, a Recioto escaped from the control of events and which is allowed to complete fermentation, therefore becoming dry, that is Amarone, not sweet. Despite the son Amarone surpassed the father in notoriety, Recioto della Valpolicella is however an excellent wine, one of the few sweet red wines of the Italian enological scene. The name Recioto comes from the dialectal Veronese term recie - that is “ears” - with which are called the two upper parts of a grape bunch, ideally positioned like the ears in a head. Recie, because of the position they have in the bunch, receive a higher quantity of sun rays, therefore berries contain a higher quantity of sugar.

 The protagonist of Recioto della Valpolicella - as well as of Amarone - is Corvina, a red berried grape typical in Valpolicella and capable of making wines of full body. Corvina is not the only grape to be used in the production of Recioto and in the classic composition can be found, although in lesser quantities, the red grapes Rondinella and Molinara. To these grapes can also be added other varieties, of which the most common ones are Corvinone, and marginally, Dindarella, Rossignola and Oseleta, all being red. The grapes are allowed to dry for a period from 90 to 120 days, period during which the grape loses water and the quantity of sugar concentrates. During the drying process, and in favorable conditions, it can also develop Botrytis Cinerea, known as Noble Rot, which will contribute to increase the organoleptic complexity of wine.

 Recioto della Valpolicella is generally produced in wintertime, at the end of the drying of grapes. The fermentation is pretty long and can also last more than 30 days, period during which the must is allowed to macerate with skins, therefore getting color, aromas and body. It will be fermentation to determine if the must will become Recioto or Amarone. When the fermentation goes through the whole process, the result is Amarone, whereas in case some of the sugar is kept, usually not more than 12%, the result is Recioto. The aging of Recioto is done in casks, whose size and characteristic are chosen by the producer according to the style of wine to be made. Traditionally, the aging of Recioto was done in a large cask, whereas today it is not uncommon the use of barrique, as well as it is not rare the use of both types. In fact, some producers prefer to begin the aging in barrique or in cask, and then to transfer Recioto - after some months - to the other type of container.

	The three Recioto della Valpolicella wines of our comparative tasting

 The tasting of Recioto della Valpolicella is a pretty singular experience for the study of sweet wines. Because of the grapes used and of their content in polyphenols - in particular Corvina - the sensation of sweetness will be followed by an unusual astringent sensation, something generally not found in sweet wines. In our comparative tasting we will evaluate three Recioto wines, aged in variable periods and one of them in barrique. The first wine is Speri's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico La Roggia, the only one being aged in barrique. The other two wines, Tedeschi's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Capitel Monte Fontana di Tedeschi and Allegrini's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Giovanni Allegrini, are both aged in cask, although for different periods. In the wines of the tasting, the dominant grape is Corvina, with the exception of Tedeschi's Recioto, in which are also found other varieties, such as Corvinone, Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara and Dindarella. The three wines will be served at the temperature of 17° C (62° F) and, as usual, poured in three ISO tasting glasses.

 The characteristics of Recioto della Valpolicella's appearance are mainly determined by the grape which is found in higher quantity - Corvina - and, in particular, by the production technique. Corvina grape is in fact characterized by a pretty good coloring property, a quality which is also accentuated by the long period of maceration of the skins in the must, with the result of obtaining a wine with a pretty reduced transparency. Recioto della Valpolicella's transparency can in fact be pretty low, sometimes impenetrable to light. Also the color is affected by the qualities of Corvina. In Recioto is generally observed an intense and deep ruby red color, with nuances which in youth can also be purple red, although in most of the cases is ruby red. As the aging develops, a period which in Recioto can also be of tens of years, ruby red is progressively replaced by garnet red, therefore becoming - at the top of aging - brick red.

 We will begin the first phase of our comparative tasting from Speri's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico La Roggia di Speri. By tilting the glass on a white surface, we will begin by observing the base of the glass, from which will be evaluated the intensity of the color. This Recioto shows an intense ruby red color and a reduced transparency, the same color will also be observed in the nuance, towards the opening of the glass. Let's now pass to the evaluation of the second wine, Tedeschi's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Capitel Monte Fontana. Also this wine will show an intense ruby red color, and also in the nuance can be seen the same color, whereas it will be noticed a lower transparency, almost impenetrable to light. The color of the third wine - Allegrini's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Giovanni Allegrini - shows a deep and dark ruby red color, with nuances of the same color. Also in this Recioto the transparency is very low, almost impenetrable to light.

 Just like for appearance, the aromatic qualities of Recioto della Valpolicella are mainly determined by Corvina grape. Also the production technique - and in particular the drying of grapes - contributes to the concentration of aromas, therefore making them richer and more complex. Recioto della Valpolicella is aged in cask - sometimes in barrique as well - a technique which will give the wine its aromatic qualities, therefore enriching it with tertiary aromas. The olfactory evaluation of Recioto allows the discovery of aromas mainly recalling red and black berried fruits - of which, the most typical ones are blackberry, plum and black cherry, also in the form of jams - as well as flowers, of which violet and dried violet are the main representatives. Among other common aromas in Recioto are mentioned chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, cinnamon, licorice and balsamic aromas of menthol and eucalyptus.

 Let's begin the evaluation of aromas from Speri's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico La Roggia. By holding the glass in vertical position and without swirling - in order to ensure the volatilization of lighter aromatic components only - we will proceed with the first smell which will allow the perception of opening aromas. From the glass will emerge clean, pleasing and pleasing aromas of blackberry, black cherry and dried violet, a very typical opening in Recioto, where blackberry usually plays the role of the protagonist. Let's now proceed with the swirling of the glass - therefore favoring the oxygenation of the wine and the volatilization of heavier aromatic components - and we will then do a second smell. The olfactory profile of this first Recioto will be completed by aromas of blueberry and prune followed by vanilla, tobacco, pink pepper, chocolate and evident hints of menthol and nail polish.

 Let's now proceed with the evaluation of the second wine of our comparative tasting: Tedeschi's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Capitel Monte Fontana. By holding the glass in vertical position and without swirling, let's proceed with the evaluation of opening aromas, characterized by blackberry jam, black cherry jam and dried violet, a riper nose than the previous one. The olfactory profile will be completed - after having swirled the glass - by strawberry jam, vanilla, tobacco, cocoa, licorice and hints of nail polish, almond and menthol. The opening of the third wine - Allegrini's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Giovanni Allegrini - is characterized by intense and clean aromas of blackberry jam, plum jam and dried violet, also in this case, a typical opening in Recioto. The olfactory profile will be then completed by blueberry jam, black cherry jam, tobacco, licorice, vanilla, walnut and chocolate, in which will also emerge pleasing hints of caramel, cinnamon and clover, as well as the balsamic hint of menthol.

 Among sweet wines, the tasting of Recioto della Valpolicella is an unique experience. As it is a red wine, besides the organoleptic qualities typical in sweet wines - in particular sweetness and smoothness - in Recioto della Valpolicella is also found the factor of astringency, given by grape's tannins and by the aging in cask. Because of the long maceration of the skins, astringency in Recioto can sometimes be very evident, a quality which is usually softened after some years of aging in bottle and thanks to the action of alcohol, sugar and roundness. The presence of polyphenols also contributes to give Recioto della Valpolicella a strong and robust body, also in this case, pretty uncommon in sweet wines. As already mentioned, astringency requires the presence of soft organoleptic qualities, which in Recioto is balanced by residual sugar and alcohol, which can also be higher than 15%.

 We will begin the phase of tasting from Speri's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico La Roggia. Since the first sip, the attack clearly show the typical organoleptic qualities of Recioto: astringency followed by sweetness, all being supported by alcohol. It should also be noticed the excellent correspondence to the nose, in particular the flavors of blackberry, plum and black cherry. The attack of the second wine - Tedeschi's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Capitel Monte Fontana - is not different from the first one: astringency followed by sweetness and, soon after, the burning sensation of alcohol, very balanced. The same can be perceived in the third wine, Allegrini's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Giovanni Allegrini: an astringent attack followed by sweetness and then alcohol, very balanced. It should be noticed, in all the three wines, the excellent correspondence to the nose and the pleasing roundness. Finally, another element to be considered is the differences in the use of cask and barrique.

 In the final phase of the tasting, we will evaluate the taste-olfactory persistence of the wines and the sensations left in the mouth. The finish of Speri's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico La Roggia is persistent, leaving in the mouth intense and clean flavors of blackberry, black cherry and plum, very correspondent to the nose and very typical in Recioto. The finish of Tedeschi's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Capitel Monte Fontana is very persistent, leaving in the mouth intense and clean flavors of blackberry, black cherry and plum to which follows a hint of strawberry. In the finish of the third wine - Allegrini's Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Giovanni Allegrini - can be appreciated a very long persistence, with intense and clean flavors of blackberry jam, black cherry jam and plum jam, more robust than the two previous wines. It should also be evaluated the final sensation of the three wines, in which can be perceived a strong and pleasing sweetness balanced by the astringency and by the full body.