2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Casa Vecie

Sometimes when tasting through a portfolio, it really does seem like each wine just gets better and better, and that was certainly the case with the Brigaldara range. While located at the foot of the Marano valley, within the Valpolicella Classica zone, Brigaldara actually oversees three very distinct terroirs within the region, which go on to produce their cru-oriented portfolio. The house Amarone hails from the stone-terraced Brigaldara cru within Valpolicella Classica at around 250 meters, while the Amarone Cavolo is sourced from a small valley, with lower elevations (around 150 meters and poor, stony soils. What’s more, in Cavolo, the temperatures are warmer than the surrounding areas, which helps balance the vineyard’s eastern exposure. Then there’s the Case Vecie line of Amarone and Valpolicella, Brigaldara’s pride and joy, which comes from the high hills (up to 450 meters) of Grezzana in Valpantena. Here the terroir of the vineyard changes, as parcels straddle the various hills and exposures, each with their own individual mix of soils, and planted to the traditional varieties that can make the best use of them. These are also the last vines to be picked in each vintage, sometimes 20 to 25 days later due to the more extreme mountain climate. I’ve found that the cru approach and savory style of Brigaldara is what sets them apart. They’re also happy to admit that their Amarone requires a decade or more to show its best. In the winery, you will find some smaller barrels, which Antonio Cesari explained are used to “promote oxygenation and color fixation” in the beginning of the process, after which the wines are moved to 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak to complete their long aging process. In the end, if you’re seeking to find a stamp of terroir within Amarone, coupled with amazing quality and ageability, then Brigaldara is a producer to seek out.