Recioto is the TRUE wine from the Valpolicella area and Nicolis makes a really beautiful example of this wine. (Amarone was a mistake, before Amarone came Recioto della Valpolicella, but more about that later!)
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