Ca Rugate Punta 470 Amarone della Valpolicella
The Ca Rugate Black Label Amarone is one of the finest examples of Amarone that money can buy. This red wine is serious stuff and shouldn't be thought of as general drinking wine. This is a big, bold Amarone that is high in alcohol and filled to the brim with flavours. Its flavour characteristics are of bold cherries, blackberries and subtle oak and its finish will go on for about a week!
An intensely flavoured but elegant Amarone with a warm character of savoury raisined fruit and spicy pepper.
Producer Note - The family business has been handed down through the generations of the Tessari family since the early 1900s. The estate was renamed Ca'Rugate in 1986, taking its name from the volcanic hills where the vineyards are located. Now run by the fourth generation, Michele has brought with him a lively, passionate and entrepreneurial spirit. Considerable expansion has taken place in recent years with investment in a new technologically advanced cellar and expansion into the Valpolicella area with the purchase of vineyards in the hilly zone of Montecchia di Crosara. The estate now covers 90 hectares of vineyards. Ca'Rugate has been awarded the prestigious 'Tre Bicchieri' award rating from Gambero Rosso multiple times, making it one of the most awarded producers in the competition and has been hailed by the New York Times as one of the "Top Five producers of High-End Soave".
Vintage - The 2017 vintage saw a cool, wet winter, followed by a cool spring. The weather was warm and sunny during the summer, with some hot periods. The harvest was a challenging and complex one. It started in August with the white grapes and Garganega and ended in October with the red grapes of Punta Tolotti and Campo Lavei. The grapes were in good condition at harvest time.
Vineyard - Punta 470 takes its name from the altitude of Ca'Rugate's six-hectare estate vineyard in the hills around Montecchia di Crosara, where the grapes are grown at 470 metres above sea level. This elevation allows the grapes to retain balancing acidity to the concentrated fruits and enables Ca’ Rugate to produce a wine that is elegant and food-friendly. The vines yield 90 quintals per hectare and are grown in gravel and limestone soils, providing excellent drainage for the vines. The grapes are hand-picked during the last two weeks of September and laid flat in small wooden boxes containing an average of just six kilograms. This allows good airflow during the crucial drying process.
Winemaking - The grapes were allowed to dry gently in well-ventilated rooms for approximately four to five months, concentrating their flavours, sweetness and colour. During the winter, the grapes were crushed and the fermentation started with natural yeasts. The must was then transferred to 500-litre oak casks to finish fermentation. The wine matures in wood for a period of 25-30 months, prior to being bottled.
Tasting Note - An intensely flavoured but elegant Amarone, with concentrated flavours of ripe blueberries, blackberries and cherries, enhanced by spicy oak. The palate is rich, full-bodied and complex, with beautiful balance and a long, elegant finish.
Grape Corvina 45%, Corvinone 40%, Rondinella 15%
Winemaker: Domenico Pedicelli
Region: Veneto
Subregion: Amarone della Valpolicella
Country: Italy
Alcohol: 15%
BodyValue: D (A is light, E is full-bodied)
Residual sugar: 5.7
Contains Sulphites: Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Milk/Eggs: No/No
Organic: No
Biodynamic: No
Closure: Natural Cork
