Ca la Bionda. Valpolicella Classico Superiore 'Casal Vegri'

Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC
Grapes: Corvina (70%), Corvinone (20%), Rondinella (10%)

2022 was hot and dry, Alessandro and Nicola were concerned.  Fortunately, the results were considerably better than anyone expected, probably thanks to wells they drilled deep under their vineyard.  Red cherry and ripe forest fruit, layered with attractive spice, and warm, ripe tannins.  A beautifully balanced, rich and approachable style.

Ca' la Bionda producer page

Casal Vegri is one of the original, ‘dedicated’ single-vineyard, Valpolicella wines.  The finest grapes from the Casal Vegri are used to make this wine, not Amarone.  It is from an east-facing slope, broken by ancient terraces.  The soils are rocky, clays on limestone.  The vines are more than 30 years old, Guyot trained and organically farmed.  
The grapes are hand-picked, sorted and destemmed before a spontaneous, temperature-controlled fermentation in steel tanks.  Following fermentation, 90% of the wine is aged in botti (3000 litre barrels) and the balance in barrique, for 18 months.  The wine was bottled with a light filtration.

Archive

2020 came after a run of hot summers: it’s a nostalgic, cool vintage where the vines had to work to fully ripen their fruit.  Perhaps there is a little less colour, maybe a shade lighter, but it is just so pure, with immaculately silky tannins.  A great vintage for this wine, all the constituent parts that make it so special are present and in perfect balance. 12.5%
2016: 96 points Decanter (Italy 2019)
A fine and richly textured Valpolicella, cherry and dark berry fruit with a touch of spice and dried herb on the nose. This has a lovely purity, silky tannins and immaculate balance.  13.5%
2015: Three Red Glasses (Gambero Rosso 2018)