quintarelli alzero cabernet 2014 1.5 liter (magnum)

Alzero is one of the hardest wines to find from Quintarelli and like his Amarones, can be counted among the greatest wines of Italy. The wine is made in almost the same way as his Amarones in that this is 100% appassimento. The grapes are harvested and then left to dry until mid-December, then crushed and fermented in the usual way. The wine spends the same amount of time in barrel as the Amarones, but part of that time is spent in French oak, then transferred to large Slavonian oak casks.  The main difference between Alzero and the Amarone is that this is made from Cabernet Franc (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and Merlot (20%), but make no mistake, this is not a 'me too' Super Tuscan or Bordeaux/Napa style wine by any measure. This is a Quintarelli wine, and that means no compromise, no wavering from their 'tradition-or-die' philosophy.

Vinification & Viticulture:
• 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
• Dried grapes are pressed in mid-December
• Grapes are pressed and after 20 days of maceration, alcoholic fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts
• Fermentation lasts approximately 50 days
• Wine is then aged in French barrels for two or three years, then racked into Slavonian oak barrels for four more years
• During this aging process, additional alcoholic fermentations take place

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

JS92, James Suckling

"A claret sort of blend, with 20% merlot meshed to even parts cab and cab franc, dried in the traditional fashion for nigh on two months. A wine of latent power, the tannic mettle serving to compress prune, alpine amaro scents, licorice root and camphor. Palate-staining. While this may metastasize into something more poised and savory as time has its way, the finish is currently a bit drying and throaty. Drink or hold."

1.5L (MAGNUM)