Wine Guerrieri Rizzardi, “3 Cru”, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG, 2019

Guerrieri Rizzardi, “3 Cru” is an exquisite dry red wine made from dried grapes of the Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Barbera varieties, which are grown in the 3 best vineyards of the company, as is evident from the name. The grapes are cultivated on clay-calcareous soils of the vineyards “Calcarole”, “Pojega” and “Rovereti”. The Corvina variety plays the main role in this blend, giving the wine fresh acidity, shades of cherry and a rich ruby-red color. Rondinella forms the body of the wine and further emphasizes the delicate spiciness of the Corvina variety, and the other varieties add aromatic accents, balance and depth to the wine. Amarone della Valpolicella is considered the most prestigious wine of the region, according to legend, produced accidentally due to the carelessness of the winemaker. It says that during the production of Recioto, the grapes were over-raisinsed, and the wine was forgotten in the fermentation chamber. As a result, the sugar fermented and instead of sweet wine, the result was bitter (“amaro” in Italian means bitter).

The production technology of Amarone della Valpolicella is very similar to the Recioto technology. The grapes are harvested manually, carefully sorted and ripened in special warehouses, where the grapes are dried on well-ventilated surfaces, thus increasing the sugar and concentration of the juice. The drying time may vary depending on the year, but is usually about 3 months. After drying, the grapes are gently pressed. The dried grapes undergo a period of very long fermentation in steel vats at a controlled temperature of 25-30 C, followed by malolactic fermentation in barriques. Amarone wines contain more alcohol precisely because of the fermentation of dried grapes, and not because of the addition of alcohol. The wine is then aged for 12 months in oak barrels of 2.25 hectoliters and another 24 months in barrels of 25 hectoliters. After bottling, the wine matures for some time in bottles in the cellars of the winery. The wine has a shelf life of over 10 years. It is recommended to decant the wine for 1-2 hours before serving.

“3 Cru” is a tribute to the passion and skill of its producers and a testament to the rich terroir of Valpolicella. With every sip you will be enchanted by the delicious aroma and unforgettable taste of this wine, and if you are new to Amarone, there is no better introduction to this Italian classic.

The Guerrieri Rizzardi winery was born in the Veneto region from the union of two ancient and influential Veronese wine producers: the Counts Guerrieri, owners of a centuries-old estate in Bardolino with vineyards and cellars, and the Counts Rizzardi, who bought their vineyards in Negrar in 1678, building the Poiega cellar shortly thereafter. The Guerrieri family also owned the small Dolce estate in Valdadige and an estate in Soave, with vineyards and cellar in Costeggiola, in the heart of the Classico area, which they bought in 1970. Today, Guerrieri Rizzardi is owned by the Rizzardi family. It remains a family business and owns vineyards in four Classico areas for the production of Verona wines: Bardolino, Valpolicella, Soave and Valdadige. The Guerrieri Rizzardi office is based in Bardolino in an ancient building that has belonged to the Guerrieri family since 1450. All the grapes come from their own organically cultivated vineyards and each region has its own cellar for vinification.