2007 Crosara

When most readers think of the Veneto, it’s usually Valpolicella, Soave and possibly Prosecco that comes to mind; however, if you haven’t experienced what’s being produced in Breganze, a small town in the Province of Vicenza, northeast from Verona, then you’re missing out. Especially for lovers of Bordeaux blends and dessert wines. The winery to know in Breganze, and the one that defines the region entirely from an international perspective is Maculan. Today, the management of the winery and vineyards is split between the third generation of the family, Angela and Maria Vittoria Maculan, yet with their father, Fausto, still involved in the daily operations. The style here is distinctly inspired by Bordeaux, where the family makes use of the hilly terrain, volcanic soils and a strong confluence of cooling effects from the mountainous north and warming currents from the south and Adriatic sea. Frankly, lovers of Italian Cabernet and Merlot are going to find a lot to like here: the entry-level Brentino representing tremendous value, the single-vineyard Fratta that can stand shoulder to shoulder with Bordeaux and the Crosara, which puts a northern Italian spin on Merlot. As for the Maculan family, their pride and joy is the selection of sweet wines that they produce, the Acininobili and Torcolato, both created using Vespaiolo grapes that are air-dried and botrytis-affected. These wines are heady yet wonderfully balanced and capable of evolving slowly over the course of decades. As evidence, my recent visit to the winery included a tasting of vintages going back to 1986, and readers can find the notes within this report.

Fausto Maculan is one of the great characters in the world of wine. His larger than life personality, wicked sense of humor and charm are all reflected in these gorgeous wines. Much of Maculan's vision is clearly informed by a huge passion for the finest wine and food money can buy. The eye-popping collection of lovingly cared for icon bottles in Maculan's personal cellar is but one sign of the heights this driven producer strives for. Maculan is best known for his dessert wines, and rightly so, as they represent a glorious pinnacle of achievement. That said, Maculan is proving to be equally skilled with his dry red wines. This incredible tasting covered a number of older vintages of Maculan's top reds, Fratta and Crosara, and sweet dessert wines Torcolato and Acininobili. The Maculan estate is located in Breganze, just north of Vicenza. The vineyards are sprawled throughout the surrounding hills and are some of the most meticulously cared for vines I have ever seen. Though fairly non-descript on the outside, the winery is impeccably appointed inside. Maculan's Fratta is a Bordeaux inspired blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with the Cabernet typically making up 70-80% of the blend. The wine spends 12 months in new French oak prior to being bottled without fining or filtration. Over the last few vintages, Fratta has emerged as one of Northern Italy's most compelling reds. This vertical was fascinating as it traced an arc of development shared by so many Italian red wines. During the mid to late 1990s, Fratta was made in the style of the time, which is to say with an eye towards achieving as much color and intensity as possible through the heavy use of small French oak barrels. Today's wines are made with a lighter touch with regards to cooperage and as a result a remarkable purity of fruit has begun to come through.