Recioto della Valpolicella Classico (2015)

About this wine

This 2015 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico is a sweet red made from Corvina Veronese and Corvinone with Rondinella. The grapes are picked around the second half of October after a short drying on the vine, then they continue drying in small crates in a temperature and humidity controlled fruttaio to concentrate sugars and texture. In the glass it shows an intense garnet red, with lifted floral notes like violet, iris and wild rose, alongside vanilla, ripe fruit and baking spice. The palate is velvety and warm, with a clear thread of freshness that keeps the sweetness in check, and it finishes surprisingly dry and harmonious for the style. After a slow fermentation, the wine rests about 24 months in oak casks before bottling, and it is typically released in a 500 ml format at 15 percent alcohol. The fruit comes from Tenuta Lena di Mezzo in the Valpolicella Classica zone of Fumane, on hillside vineyards trained to Pergola Veronese at roughly 250 to 450 meters, with tuff, clay and limestone in the soils.

About the grape

Corvina is the historic core grape of Valpolicella, native to the hills around Verona, and its relatively thick skins and naturally good acidity make it especially suited to the long drying process used for Recioto, in this bottling it is grown at Tenuta Lena di Mezzo on pergola trained vines over volcanic, tufaceous, clay, and limestone rich soils. Corvinone was long treated as a larger form of Corvina, but it was formally recognized as a separate variety in 1993, and the Recioto rules allow it to replace part of Corvina, Monte del Frà uses it alongside Corvina because it handles controlled appassimento well and supports the traditional Corvina led blend. Rondinella is the long time partner grape in Valpolicella, prized more for reliability than fame, with strong resistance to disease and a proven ability to dry cleanly, and it fills the required supporting role in the blend for this Recioto. For Tenuta Lena di Mezzo, these three varieties are harvested in October, briefly dried on the vine, then dried for about 120 days in temperature and humidity controlled crates before pressing, a method that depends on the Corvina family grapes and Rondinella staying sound through extended dehydration.

Quick facts

• 👂 “Recioto” literally nods to the “ears” of the grape bunch, the sunniest winglets historically picked for extra ripeness and sweetness in Valpolicella.
• ⛪ Tenuta Lena di Mezzo sits in Valpolicella Classica beneath the Madonna de La Salette sanctuary, a dramatic hillside setting the winery calls its “sancta sanctorum”.
• 🏞️ The estate name is literal geography, the 17.8 hectare Lena di Mezzo vineyard is crossed by the Lena stream, giving the property its identity.
• 🍇 This Recioto starts drying even before harvest, with a short appassimento on the vine, then continues in crates in a temperature and humidity controlled fruttaio for slow, precise raisining.
• 🧪 It is bottled in a 500 ml format and still reaches 15% ABV in the 2015 vintage, a reminder how concentrated appassimento grapes can be even when the wine remains sweet.

Palate profile

Producer

Monte del Frà, meaning 'Friars' Mountain,' was established as a monastery in 1492 by the friars of Santa Maria della Scala, who cultivated various crops, including grapes for wine production. In 1958, Massimo Bonomo transformed the estate into a family-run winery, which has since expanded to over 200 hectares of vineyards across Verona's renowned wine regions, including Valpolicella, Custoza, Lugana, Soave, and Bardolino. The Bonomo family emphasizes sustainable practices, such as drip irrigation and the use of natural pheromones to protect vines, earning certifications like SQNPI and RRR. Today, the winery is managed by the second and third generations of the Bonomo family, continuing their commitment to producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region.