Secondo Marco 2016 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG (500ml)

A blend of the usual suspects in the Valpolicella region - led by Corvina (60%) and Corvinone (10%), the remaining 30% is a bled of Rondinella and other local grape varieties.

Harvested by hand from Secondo Marco's estate vineyards then dried indoors for 140 days (20 more than the range required by the Consorzio). Native yeast fermentation occurs in stainless steel and the wine is aged for 2+ years in 6HL Slavonian oak barrels, plus another year in bottle before release.

The production of Recioto follows the most time-honored tradition in Valpolicella (whose winemaking history dates back at least to the Roman times 2000 years ago). Marco's refreshingly unique interpretation balances this dessert wine's exhilarating concentration with a touch of zippy freshness. The result is a dessert wine that is both agile and complex.

Pairings: Stilton or other blue cheeses, dark chocolate or Sbrisolona cake. Serve at 52F.

'Secondo Marco' translates as "According to Marco", and he's the independent-minded son of a family with a long lineage of producing wines crafted in a very different style than his - big fruit, high alcohol, and heavy-bottomed. Until recently, his family's style was more typical of the region's wines for the past 30 years or so. 

But Marco decided to depart from his family's style to craft a food-friendly wine that would appeal to today's demand for a lighter, fresher style that responds well to a slight chill. This is such a wine.