R.I.P. Guiseppe Quintarelli

From the NYTimes: "Giuseppe Quintarelli, a wine producer from the Veneto region of northeastern Italy whose Valpolicellas, reciotos and Amarones were revered by devoted followers all over the world, died Sunday at his home in Negrar, Italy. He was 84."

This wine is the reason we started this...

Thanks for the great wine, and may the family continue your legacy!

Quintarelli Primofiore 2004

A very late post on this wine, it is in our notes more than once or twice for that matter so here it goes...

EXPERIENCE
The cork contains the essence of the wine. Decanted the bottle after the first pour for about a hour. The nose is floral, (first time it was full of an Orchid aroma) bright and spicy. The first taste is tart, semi sweet fruit with a little spice, with a mildly dry finish. After the wine opened up the nose stayed very similar slightly softer. The balance really peaks when decanted, aromatic and smooth, full of fruit and a little olive spice. Quintessential Quintarelli!

VERDICT
GREAT VALUE - The 2004 Primofiore cost right around $48 (We found depending on when purchased it has become more expensive by a buck or two). This wine is one of value for wines for the price. To experience an "every day" drinking amarone, well, don't pass it up if you get the chance. Just decant, the wine will open up and you will not be disappointed.

FACTS
Classified IGT, and comes from Veneto. The wine is a Corvina blend, containing Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  It is made from the first press. This is made appassimento as most of the regions Amarones are. Appassimento means to wither or dry. The grapes are set out around four to six weeks.
Here is an article, The Name, but Not the Price, about Mr. Quintarelli and his Primofiore. The legendary producer.

Quintarelli Valpolicella 1999

Using our winnings from a rigged poker game, we picked this bottle up at our favorite shop for about $85. Expensive, indeed, but gambling winnings deserve to be spent frivolously... its good karma.

EXPERIENCE

Take a sniff of the cork and you can usually tell what the first glass is going to taste like; that was definitely the case with this bottle. The first glass had a dark earthy flavor. The finish was smooth there was a hint of chocolate at the end. As the wine got some air, it became less earthy and more and more fresh tasting (almost floral), especially when swirled in the glass. The real highlight was the fragrance of the wine; if I had to live in a glass bubble and could only pick one fragrance to fill my limited air supply, it would be that of a freshly swirled glass of Quintarelli. It was a pleasure to drink the entire way through, a great reason to drink a whole bottle yourself.

VERDICT

SHELL OUT for this one. If you are like us, you don't have the means to enjoy this caliber of wine every day; however, it is worth doing at least once. Consider it an investment in your palate.

FACTS

Quintarelli's winery is located in the comune of Negrar in the mountainous northwest corner of the Veneto region in Italy. With mountains along its northwest border and the Mediterranean coastline along the southeast, Veneto is a geographically diverse region and home to many of Italy's large commercial wineries. All DOC Valpolicella comes from this specific area and must contain at least 60% corvina and rondinella grapes. Additions include: molinara, croatina, negrara, dindarella, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon. Quintarelli is known to add a touch of Amarone, a heavier wine made from Valpolicella grapes that are dried for 3 months before being pressed and vinified. A general note: Quintarelli ages his wines for more than six years in Slavonian oak casks before they are released.