Nicolis - Recioto della Valpolicella

Recioto della Valpolicella is the TRUE wine from the Valpolicella area and Nicolis makes a really beautiful example of this sweet, dessert wine. Before someone left a barrel of Recioto by mistake and the fermentation process started again creating what would then be called Amarone, this is how all wines were made in this region. 

The name Recioto comes from the Italian word "recchie" meaning ears which refers to the shorter lobes that you find on the large, long bunches of Corvina and Corvinone grapes. The grapes here are sweeter and once harvested are left for even longer to dry in the traditional method of "appasimento" than the grapes for Amarone. The result is a delicious red dessert wine that pairs beautifully with chocolate, traditional chocolate salami (made with chocolate and crushed biscuits) and chocolate and pear tart. 

We love this wine because it's not too heavy on the sugar and like all the wines we find from the Nicolis cellars, is beautifully balanced. The only bad thing about it is that in 500ml bottles, it's easily finished! 

Something about the wine... 

Taste: Full-bodied, creamy-sweet, velvety

Aroma: Flowery, violet, iris, wild rose, vanilla

Colour: Intense garnet red

Goes well with: cakes such as panettone, soft cheese, chocolate & pear tart, chocolate desserts. 

Type of wine: Dessert wine

Grape variety: 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Molinara, 10% Dindarella

Drinking temperature: 16 to 20ºC

Shelf life: 6 to 8 years

Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Closure: Full body cork

Barrique: 6 months