Each year growers submit their best wines to be assessed by a panel of wines experts and journalists and the top wines are marketed to their export countries under the label of Verona Wine Top. Besides the well know DOC areas of Bardolino, Soave and Valpolicella there were also wines from other areas such as Lugana, Custoza, Garda and Lessini Durello.

The Soave I Tarai 2009 from Corte Moschina, one of our growers was in the list. Made from 100% Garganega it had a lovely intense nose of almonds and hite flower blossoms. In the mouth the acidity was well balanced with fruit flavours and it had good length. It is made from old vines and about 15% is matured in old acacia wood vats.

We currently stock the 2006 vintage which is still drinking really well – very like the 2009 but with more richness and intensity.

I also had the opportunity to taste some of the sweet Recioto wines from the area. I tried a Recioto di Soave DOCG 2006 from Cantine Riondo. The grapes are picked and then allowed to concentrate by laying them out for between 80 and 90 days in special drying rooms. The wine is then fermented without the secondary  malolactic fermentation to retain maximum freshness. It has complex aromas of dried fruits, honey and spices. At 125g/L of residual sugar the wine is sweet without being cloying and has a long lingering finish. It would go well with most desserts and in particular blue cheese.

Made in a similar way I also tasted a red Recioto della Valpolicella 2007 (Corte Lenguine). Here the regular Valpolicella grape varieties (Corvina, Corvinone and Molinara) are dried to produce a red Recioto. The wine was medium bodied with intense aromas of plums and black cherries. The sweetness (125g/L) was balanced by good acidity and soft ripe tannins with flavours of plums, damsons and a hint of chocolate. It would pair well with fruit based desserts, sticky toffee or chocolate puddings.

Check out our Recioto wines:

Recioto di Soave 2004, Corte Moschina

Recioto della Valpolicella 2006, Gamba