# Alteo Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG (2017)

- **Producer:** Fasoli Gino
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Corvinone (65%), Corvina (20%), Rondinella (15%)
- **Region:** Veneto, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 17.5%
- **Average price:** €75
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** dried berries, toffee, chocolate, camphor, mossy undergrowth, orange peel, cardamom

## About this wine

Alteo Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG by Fasoli Gino is a distinguished red wine from the Veneto region of Italy. The producer, Fasoli Gino, is a family winery with a long history, notably recognized for its early adoption and pioneering commitment to organic viticulture since the 1980s, later expanding to biodynamic practices. The estate's vineyards are situated in the Valle d'Illasi, on the eastern side of Valpolicella, characterized by sandy soils with calcareous pebbles. The wine is made from a blend of Corvinone, Corvina, and Rondinella grapes, which undergo the traditional appassimento process of drying before fermentation. This method, combined with the winery's sustainable farming approach, contributes to the wine's full-bodied, intense, and complex character.

## Interesting facts

- Certified organic since 1986, a pioneer in the region.
- Introduced biodynamic farming in 2006.
- Grapes are dried (appassimento) before fermentation.
- The 2017 vintage won Gold at MUNDUS VINI and Challenge Millesime Bio in 2024.

## Food pairing

The wine's full body, pronounced intensity, and lively tannins are well-suited to rich, protein-heavy dishes. The tannins bind with proteins in red meats, softening the wine and cleansing the palate. The wine's inherent richness and ripe fruit notes can complement the savory depth of game and slow-cooked meats, while its complexity can stand up to robust flavors.

## Wine making process

The production of Alteo Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG begins with the careful selection and drying of grapes (appassimento), a process that concentrates their sugars and flavors. Fermentation is intentionally long and slow, maximizing extraction from these concentrated grapes. Following fermentation, the wine is aged, initially in a combination of new and second-use French oak barriques, followed by a finishing period in Slavonian oak casks. This meticulous process, combined with the estate's commitment to organic and biodynamic farming, shapes the wine's full-bodied, intense, and complex character.