REPORT ON THE VINI VALPOLICELLA RETURNS trade tasting, June 15, 2023...

The Date and Time:  Thursday  June 15, 2023  1PM to 4PM
The Event: Vini Valpolicella Returns
The Venue: Chelsea Hotel
The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media
The Availability/Catalogue: as a small show, it was economical to produce a paper catalogue for 14 wineries and 70 wines.
The Quote/Background: Just about every producer here had three levels: superiore and/or classico; ripasso; and amarone and/or recioto. In the region there are 2251 grape growers, six co-ops, and 344 bottlers. 73.6 million bottles happened in 2021 (61% exported), with a quarter of them being Amarone and another half being Ripasso.
The Wines: I did not try every wine. I concentrated on Amarone and some Ripassos. I was feeling palate fatigue towards the end because many of these wines were very similar in their approaches.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Cantine di Verona Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2015 Brolo dei Giusti 14.5%ABV Majestic
-Cantine di Verona Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Valpantena 2019 Ritocco 13.5%ABV Majestic
-Casalforte Valpolicella Ripasso DOC 2020 13.5%ABV Azureau
-Corte Figaretto Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Valpantena 2018 Brolo del Figaretto 16.5%ABV Colio Estate
-Corte Forte Amarone della Valpolicella DOPCG Classico 2016 Terre de San Zeno 15.5%ABV
-Costa Arente Amarone della Valpolicella DICG Valpantena 2017 17%ABV $107 consignment Independent Wine Company Wines
-Ilatium Morini Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2017 Prognai 15%ABV
-Ilatium Morini Amarone della Valpolicella 2018 DOCG Leon 16.5%ABV
-Massimago Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2018 Conte Gastone 16%ABV  The Living Vine
-Rocca Sveva Cadis 1898 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva 2016 Rocca Sveva 15%ABV
-Sartori di Verona Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2019 15%ABV Univins
-Sartori di Verona Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva 2015 15.5%ABV $69.95 LCBO

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Cantine di Verona Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore 2018 Torre del Falasco 14%ABV
-Casalforte Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2019 15%ABV  $39.95 Azureau
-Monte Zovo Famiglia Cottini Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2020 Villa Annaberta 15%ABV  $40  Dionysus
-Rocca Sveva Cadis 1898 Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore 2017 Rocca Sveva 14%ABV
-Rocca Sveva Cadis 1898 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2019 Cantina di Illasi 14.5%ABV
-Tinazzi Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2018 La Bastia Ca' de' Rocchi 15%ABV Vinoluna
-Valentina Cubi Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Classico Superiore 2018 Arusnatico 14%ABV
-Valentina Cubi Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2013 Morar 16%ABV

The Food: cheese and biscuits, strawberries.
The Downside: it was a small room, and got crowded really fast.
The Upside: a chance to taste a range of Valpolicella in its different formats.
The Contact Person: judith@townhallbrands.com; lisa@androscom.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89



Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
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