2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Vigneto Monte Sant’Urbano

Father-and-son team Giuseppe and Alberto are the current guardians/enologists of the Speri winery and its traditions. This is a property that I’ve followed for many years, being a fan of savory Amarone that can stand the test of time. In fact, that’s exactly what the Speri winery does best, with their focus on delivering pure fruit, high natural acidity, lots of minerality and low residual sugar. Frankly, If you’re looking for the richer and sweeter style of the category, you’re better off searching elsewhere. The Speri family farms 60 hectares of all-estate vineyards within the Valpolicella Classico zone, and they do so under organic certification. What’s more, they are focused entirely on the native varieties of the region. They make just one Amarone, from the steeply terraced Sant’Urbano cru, which hosts old vines growing in volcanic soils at elevations between 280 and 380 meters. Also keep an eye out for the early-accessible yet still quite complex Valpolicella from the same vineyard. The portfolio doesn’t stop there, with the Valpolicella La Roverina, which delivers a softer taste of the house style (lower elevations and more alluvial soils) in an affordable package, as well as a Ripasso, which adds a dose of dark bitters and richness to the Valpolicellas of the house. The only barrique you’ll find in the Speri cellars is used for the Recioto La Roggia, as they prefer 500-liter tonneaux and large Slavonian oak. As Luca Speri explained it to me, “We love the purity in fruit, and to show the personality of our grapes and methods, we like very clean wines and not ‘overworked’.” They must be doing something right, because whether you’re tasting a 20-year-old or a 5-year-old Amarone Sant'Urbano, its pedigree is undeniable.