Our Wine Of The Week is 2011 Santa Sofia Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico, a dry red wine from the Veneto wine producing region in northeast Italy. That’s a long name for a bottle of wine, so let’s break it down.

Santa Sofia cellars are located in the village of Villa Santa Sofia, the primary villa originally designed in the year 1560. The company began producing wines around 1811, focusing on wines made from grapes native to the area.  Amarone della Valpolicella reflects the specific viticultural region where this particular wine is grown – the Valpolicella Classico area shown in deep green just north of Verona in the Veneto Wine Region map below. Valpolicella means “valley of the cellars.”

DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) signifies that grapes used in the wine are guaranteed to have been grown in the wine region specified and meet strict quality standards. The term Classico means the grapes are native to the area where they were grown.

Santa Sofia Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico is made from a process unique to the area that starts with drying the grapes after harvest. Grapes are laid out on large screened racks in storage sheds for three to four months, then the wine is made from the concentrated grape juice. Amarone della Valpolicella produces the most prestigious wines made in the area.

Our Wine Of The Week is a smooth blend of Corvina and Corvinone (70%) and Rondinella (30%) grapes. The result is a dry wine that goes especially well with hearty meats served in sauces, such as ribs and steaks. Alcohol is moderate at 15%. Retails around $42 in wine shops.

Cheers!

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