2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Vigneto Alto

It was incredibly sad driving past the location that once hosted the vines that made up the Vigneto Alto vineyard. As mentioned in a previous article, the Bussola family decided to tear up these vines in 2022 for future replanting. Later, tasting the 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Vigneto Alto put things into perspective. It’s amazing to think that drinking wine really is like experiencing a piece of history. However, the good news is that Tommaso Bussola has been working hard to ensure that their fans will have plenty of other wines in the portfolio to enjoy. With the 2019 vintage, we will see the first wine from the limestone-rich soils of the high-elevation Trapola vineyard. This is a gorgeous location with pergola-trained vines, some as old as ninety years, that overlooks Lake Garda. I’m looking forward to tasting this on my next visit. As for the current releases, the Bussola style shines through in spades. Traditional, rich, complex, and energetic; sometimes savory and sometimes sweet, these wines exist within a category that isn’t easily defined. I find them soulful and utterly captivating.