Special IWM Presentation Just Added – Library Collection and Debut from One of the World’s Most Distinctive Wines. It Is The Mindbending Wines of Quintarelli – Including the New Amarone That Is “A Total Seductress.” - The Finest In 35 Years?
“A total seductress, the 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a dark beauty…Quintarelli has been working hard to perfect a style that mixes the magic of older vintages with a new level of freshness and purity. The 2017 Amarone is a big step in that direction.” - Vinous.
“I first learned of this wine a decade ago, and I purchased several bottles of the 1983, also a super wine. In fact, after tasting the super-concentrated, full-bodied, massively-endowed 1990, I pulled a bottle of the 1983 to see how it is aging. The amber-free color is followed by a glorious array of cedar, red and black fruits, spice, truffle, and exotic Far East spices. The wine is as young as I remember it at release, which bodes well for the 1990, an even more concentrated and impressive example. Perhaps the only way I can effectively articulate what this wine tastes like would be the following: imagine Cheval Blanc (1) picked at even higher sugars than it was in a great vintage like 1990 or 1982, (2) given more aging before release, and (3) bottled with no fining or filtration! The 1990 Alzero possesses a thick, viscous, purple color, an unctuous texture, fabulous purity, and gobs of black fruits intermingled with aromas of licorice, truffles, and roasted meats. Unbelievably rich, yet totally dry, this should prove to be one of the rarest, most provocative, and profound dry red wines to emerge from Italy. Although approachable enough to drink, it is still an infant in terms of its evolution. It will not hit full stride for another 10-15 years. As is the case with all these limited production wines, there are only several hundred cases available.” - Robert Parker on Alzero.
It’s Quintarelli Day - one of our favorite days of the year at IWM. As you may know, Quintarelli has two sets of releases each year, featuring different new selections. We have just secured the latest allocation featuring the new releases from Guiseppe Quintatrelli, from the “Baby Amarone” Valpolicella; the signature Amarone to the exceedingly rare Riserva.
As for the Alzero, the quote above is one the most detailed and strongest statements on a wine we have seen from Robert Parker over the past 30+ years, and we could not agree with it more (that this why we post it in its entirety). IWM has preached it for two decades, the Amarone, the Amarone Riserva, Recioto, Passito Bianco, and in particular, the Alzero of Guiseppe Quintatrelli, are among the world’s most distinctive wines. Having poured wines for thousands over the past twenty years, we can say with confidence that there are few expressions that can match the tasting of an Amarone della Valpolicella from the great Veneto winemaker and estate of Guiseppe Quintarelli for the first time. But it is not just collectors that are stunned by it, we have poured the wines for iconic winemakers from Champagne to Tuscany and the same astonished response occurs. And while the Alzero is a wine produced in the same passito method as Amarone, there is an emphasis on different varietals here, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wine is even more scarce than his benchmark Amarones as production is typically 3,000 bottles or a mere 250 cases.
Today, we are now featuring the highly anticipated new release of the 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella. What you should know is there was no Amarone produced in 2016, and the 2017 Amarone is among the high rated releases in 35 years. In fact, you might say Amarone benefits in the warmer vintages and that is why the 2015 and 2017 releases are so well regarded. But we are including some additional in-stock items, highlighted by the exceedingly rare Quintartelli Riserva, and the beloved baby Amarone – the 2017 Valpolicella Superiore. We are fortunate to include a final allocation of the 2015 Alzero and the unique Amabile del Cere, which is produced from white grapes, and is Italy’s answer to Chateau d'Yquem. This is Quintarelli’s rarest wine, as it was only made in a handful of vintages, in fact, before 2003, the last vintage was 1990. The wine is named after a lost barrel that was hidden under food stores and undiscovered during a Nazi raid of the property during WWII. The barrel was discovered years later and the wine had aged beautifully.
Like the prized nectar of Chateau d'Yquem, or the game changing Champagne Rosé from Jacques Selosse or the mystical elixir of old Chartreuse, these wines have become more difficult to obtain. The new releases arrive this May and will be SOLD OUT before they arrive.
FEATURED WINES: New and Old Releases from Quintarelli 
Note: some quantity limitations may apply.
ADDITIONAL NOTES AND REVIEWS: GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI BIANCO SECCO CA' CEL MERLO In addition to his catalogue of legendary reds, Quintarelli makes a stunning white–an artful blend of Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Saorin (the last of which, meaning “flavor” in Veronese dialect, is believed to be a clone of the Tocai grape). While full on the palate, Bianco Secco delivers a refreshing briskness, finishing with a seductive hint of dried honey and minerals. GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI PRIMOFIORE In the present context, Primofiore means “first flower,” and the grapes utilized for this wine–Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc–complete their ripening during a period of storage in wooden boxes, a technique that produces a more full-bodied, voluptuous character. The wine’s treatment with Amarone or passito imparts rich flavors of cherry, olives, spices, and oak; it is intended to be consumed young. Production hovers around 460 cases. GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE This wine’s initial blend is comprised of old-vine Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, with smaller percentages of Negrara, Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Croatina, and Sangiovese. Five to six months after the first stage, it is blended with the lees of Quintarelli’s Amarone. The second fermentation incited by the ripasso method endows the wine with a more decadent character. It is then aged in Slavonian oak for a period of six years–a longer timeframe than many producers accord their Amarones. Quintarelli’s Valpolicella is one of the greatest of its kind, and is superior to many Amarones. GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI ROSSO CA' CEL MERLO The Ca’ del Merlo (meaning House of the Blackbird) is a single-vineyard Valpolicella. The blend consists of 55% Corvina and Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Cabernet Franc Nebbiolo, Croatina, and Sangiovese that make this expression unique. As the grapes for this Valpolicella derive exclusively from one site, it expresses the influences of a specific terroir, yet represents the composition and vinification method (ripasso) utilized in the crafting of Quintarelli’s other Valpolicella. 50% of grapes are pressed immediately after harvest, 50% are dried for 2 months. Wine is racked onto the lees of the Amarone which starts a second alcoholic fermentation (this process is called ripasso). After this fermentation, the wine is racked into large Slavonian oak barrels for seven years. Stunning dry red from Quintearell - decant for two hours to let the magic begin. GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI ROSSO DEL BEPI No doubt about it, the cult-like Amarone productions of Quintarelli can command prices that can match that of some top growth Bordeaux or Burgundy. However, in select vintages, the late Maestro of the Veneto, Giuseppe Quintarelli, would declassify his signature Amarone and offer it at a fraction of the price of his signature bottling. The wine is Rosso del Bepi and it has only been released in eight vintages thus far—1994, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014 and now 2016. For many enthusiasts and insiders in the trade, it is essentially “Quintarelli Amarone at half the price.” Like his Amarone, the wine is a blend of primarily Corvina and Rondinella, with majestic Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Croatina, Molinara, and Negrara. Just a few hundred cases were produced from each vintage and only a handful of the wines remain in the world as allocations to restaurants and merchants are severely limited. GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA Quintarelli produces his Amarone only in exceptional vintages, and when he does it is the benchmark for all Amarone. This collector's wine comes primarily from the indigenous Corvina along with Rondinella, Molinara, and traces of Cabernet, Sangiovese, and Nebbiolo. Following the harvest, grapes are left to dry out naturally. Slavonic oak casks with the ability to hold 7-20 hectolitres are used. The wine is aged a minimum of six or seven years. A truly stunning wine with great potential for long-term aging.
2017 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone delle Valpolicella Eric Guido, Vinous: “A total seductress, the 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a dark beauty. It opens with a dusty bouquet of dried flowers and masses of cherry sauce, offset by spiced orange and nuances of violet pastille. It sweeps across the palate, a model of purity, with crisp wild berry fruits energized by tantalizing acidity and shavings of dark chocolate. Crunchy mineral tones emerge toward the close. The 2017 lingers impossibly long yet remains completely fresh. Grippy tannins remain as hints of dried blueberry and lavender resonate throughout. The Quintarelli winery has been working hard to perfect a style that mixes the magic of older vintages with a new level of freshness, and the 2017 is a big step in the right direction. Bravo.” GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI ALZERO It is the wine that became known as Cheval Blanc on steroids at IWM. Predominantly Cabernet Franc, the Alzero—which has become Quintarelli’s cult offering— is produced from old vines and made by the same method used for Amarone production (appassimento). It is massive in its density, tannins, acids, and alcohol, with only a hint of sweetness left to restrain them. With tremendous richness of color, aroma, and flavor, the wine’s unctuous palate reveals dried dark fruits, roasted meats, pepper, and exotic spices. While it may be opened at present, it is a profound selection for the cellar. Though regarded as the consummate traditionalist, Giuseppe does engage in experimentation; the vinification of the Alzero represents his sole use of small barrels of French oak. The new 2015 Alzero release from the benchmark vintage in the Veneto challenges the Immortal 1990.
2015 Giuseppe Quintarelli Alzero Eric Guido, Vinous: “The 2015 Cabernet Alzero is loaded with varietal character, bursting from the glass with a dark blend of black fruits, savory herbs, pencil lead and crushed stone. This is velvety smooth, with juicy acidity to balance and a core of mineral-tinged red and blue fruits complemented by confectionary spice. It leaves the palate reeling with youthful tension as hints of blood orange swirl under an air of violet inner florals. Dusty tannins resonate throughout. The energy within the 2015 is off the charts and provides a perfect counterpoint to its internal intensity. Bury this one deep.” GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI RECIOTO DELLA VALPOLICELLA Recioto refers to the “ears” of the grape clusters, the upper shoulders of the bunches that get the most sunlight and are the most ripe. The wine must have significant sugar to go through two alcoholic fermentations and remain sweet. This is Valpolicella’s initial incarnation—a sweet wine that dates back to the Romans, who are credited with having developed the appassimento process (drying of the grapes). The sweetness derives from an arrested fermentation, a procedure that stops the conversion of sugar into alcohol, thereby leaving residual sugar. It is widely believed that Amarone emerged as the dry counterpart to Recioto when an unattended barrel of the latter fermented fully. This the most age-worthy of Quintarelli's prized wines. GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI AMABILE DEL CERÈ BANDITO IGT The rarest of all the Quintarelli wines, it is named after a lost barrel that was hidden under food stores and undiscovered during a Nazi raid of the property during WWII. The barrel was discovered years later and the wine had aged beautifully. Produced from Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Sauvignon Bianco, Chardonnay, Saorin. Harvested before most other grapes, at the end of August and beginning of September. Careful selection of grapes during harvest. After harvest, grapes sit in wooden boxes or on rush mats. Grapes are pressed at the end of January/beginning of February when noble rot has developed on 30% to 40% of the grapes. Fermentation starts with indigenous yeasts after 20 days and lasts approximately 50 days. Wine is aged in French oak barrels (Limousin, Allier, Tronçais) for five to six years. During the aging process, alcoholic fermentation continues.
This is an email ONLY offer. Should you have any questions on these exciting wines, or would like to take advantage of this offer (that is only available until 11:59, Friday, 3/29 or while supplies last), we are asking you email orders back to me at chris.deas@italianwinemerchants.com, connect with your Portfolio Manager or mention receipt of this offer if calling the store. All orders are subject to confirmation.
All my best, Chris |
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