2018 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sant’Urbano

Speri is focused on single-vineyard expressions and following within the classic lines of Valpolicella Classico. You won’t find experimental IGTs from this house, but what you will find is the traditional use of the region's native varieties, including Molinar, a grape that is no longer even required in the DOC and DOCG blending regulations. Father-and-son team Giuseppe and Alberto are the current guardians/enologists of the Speri winery and its traditions. The family farms 60 hectares of all-estate vineyards within the Valpolicella Classico zone, and they do so under organic certification. Their single Amarone is a cru expression from the steeply terraced Sant’Urbano vineyard, where vines grow in volcanic soils at elevations between 280 and 380 meters. This wine is unlike most other Amarone from the region, as the Speri style imparts a dark savoriness, minerality and structure that not only separates it from the standpoint of flavor and expression, but also imparts them with the ability to mature effortlessly over the course of decades. From the same vineyard, and truly a baby Amarone, the Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sant'Urbano is also a standout. The difference here is that the grapes are only dried for 20-25 days, versus the 100 days for the Amarone. Otherwise, both wines refine in neutral 500-liter Tonneaux for two years. Speaking of wood, 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 to allow the purity of fruit to shine through in the finished wines. The Recioto La Roggia, a total standout in recent tastings, is another single-vineyard expression, but from Monte Sausto in San Pietro in Cariano, with grapes that undergo 110 days of appassimento prior to two years of refinement in wood. The most amazing thing about La Roggio is that it manages to follow the house style, with a salty mineral core that offsets its succulent and sweet personality. The balance is unreal. If you’re looking for true classics in Amarone that fall closer to the savory than sweet side, then Speri should be at the top of your list.