2023 Recioto della Valpolicella Valpantena DOC, Bertani

The 2023 Recioto della Valpolicella Valpantena DOC, Bertani from Bertani is a wine that speaks to conviction in the cellar. Great wine is not made from bottling decisions; it is determined in the vineyard - in the choice of when to harvest, in the management of canopy and yield, in decisions made weeks and months before a single grape reaches the crusher. This wine represents the culmination of that intentionality, that respect for terroir and craft that separates memorable bottles from merely competent ones.

This is a wine of luxurious sweetness and surprising complexity. On the nose, aromas of ripe dark cherry, dried apricot, and warm spice rise from the glass - honeyed and inviting, yet with an underlying minerality that prevents any sense of one-dimensionality. On the palate, concentrated flavours of dark fruit, chocolate, and almond nougat unfold gradually. There is substantial sweetness here, yes, but it is balanced by enough freshness and acid structure to feel elegant rather than cloying. The finish is remarkably long, warming and silky, lingering on the back of the palate with an almost port-like quality. This is a wine for meditation - best enjoyed slowly, perhaps with a simple biscuit or on its own, after dinner when the meal has concluded and conversation has deepened.

How to Serve

Chill lightly to 14 - 16°C - a touch cooler than typical serving temperature, which allows the wine's sweetness to shine without becoming heavy. A large red wine glass is preferable, broad enough to allow the aromatics room to develop.

Food Pairings

This is dessert itself - or a wine for quiet contemplation after dinner has concluded. If you insist on food pairing, consider dark chocolate, aged pecorino, or preparations featuring dried fruit. It is equally at home sipped slowly on its own, perhaps with a simple almond biscuit, when the wine requires no competition for attention and can be savoured fully.