Azienda Agricola Monte del Fra is a family-run winery located in the Veneto region of Northern Italy, with a long tradition of winemaking dating back to the late 1950s and renowned for its commitment to quality and innovation.
Amarone della Valpolicella Scarnocchio Classico Riserva comes from the highest and longest-standing vineyard in Lena di Mezzo. The Scarnocchio terroir is reflected in this complex Amarone Riserva, rich in balsamic notes of mountain pine. It tells the story of the dark soils and the extreme weather conditions characteristic of Valpolicella. A true Cru!
Varietal: Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara
Terroir: The noble hilly area is located 350/400 meters above sea level -- > surrounded by forests and a breathtaking panorama, the 18 hectares of the Lena di Mezzo estate form the heart of Valpolicella Classico and dominate the landscape below the sanctuary of La Salette. History, elegance and territorial complexity are the key elements of the stylistic credo of Monte del Fra - in this exceptional territory they find a new driving mechanism.
* Valpolicella (namely Val polis cellae / Valley of many cellars) is the place where each municipality and vineyard is distinguished by its own nature.
Soils: tuffaceous, clayey, calcareous
Vine formation: Pergola
Harvest: The grapes are harvested in the second half of October after a short drying of the vines. Then the drying continues in the fruit cellar, in crates at controlled humidity and temperature. The grapes rest for about 120 days, depending on the season, until the sugar concentration in the grapes reaches at least 28% - 30%.
Vinification: Soft crushing and separation of the stalk from the grapes from January to the end of March, depending on the harvest. This is followed by slow alcoholic fermentation in small steel barrels at a controlled temperature. Long maceration of the skins to allow maximum extraction of aromatic substances and polyphenols. The wine then goes into French oak, where the malolactic fermentation is completed.
After the summer aging, 90% of the Amarone Scarnocchio is aged for at least 36 months in barrels (30 hl French oak), while the remaining 10% is aged in smaller barrels, also made of French oak. After bottling, the wine is aged for at least 12 months before being released on the market.
* Harvesting, drying and vinification take place in San Pietro in Cariano, in a specially built modern structure with air-conditioned drying rooms, capable of drying up to 300 tons of grapes in a controlled manner. This preserves the taste and elegance of the grapes and ensures that technology is used as a tool to unfold the complexity and elegance of a true Valpolicella wine.
Organoleptic characteristics
Colour: deep garnet with hints of ruby red
Aroma: blue floral notes and a slight herbaceousness, followed by a hint of spices reminiscent of dried peach, apricot and other stone fruits, leaving room for exciting black cherry, dark plum, blackberry and hints of refreshing and touching mint
Taste: a true explosion of black and red fruits, the secondary and tertiary aromas are much more pronounced in black tea leaves, licorice, vanilla, chocolate, a hint of coffee and tobacco.
Maintaining good acidity and balance until the long-deserved finish
Food pairing: excellent with ladko and aged cheeses; also great on its own by the glass ..as a meditation wine :)
Serving temperature: 18°C, decanting recommended
Aging potential: drink it now or maximize its potential by storing it for at least 30 years... this wine will keep your interest alive, delivering constant emotions again and again.
