Mabis, Biscardo Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, DOCG, Veneto, Italy, 2018

Producer Profile

The Biscardo Family have been making wine from their base in Soave for over 150 years and are currently led by brothers Maurizio and Martino.

During the course of Maurizio's long and illustrious career, he has consulted for well known wineries around Italy and in doing so he came across the vineyards for their Puglian wines. Both the Pugliese and Veneto wines are characterised by an irresistible drinkability, aromatic purity and exceptional value for money.

Viticulture

The vineyards are on the hill of the little towns around Verona at around 150 to 400 metres. The soil of Amarone is generally silt on loam rocks; compact red soil on basalt; compact red soil on Eocene limestone. Each valley gives different situations, although there is always a high calcareous concentration, with big stones in the first half metre of the ground. The grapes are still hand-picked up and placed in wooden cases, and this is usual done at dawn or late in the evening, to avoid the intense heat that the grapes may suffer during the day.

Winemaking

The Amarone is now produced in special drying chambers under controlled conditions. In Amarone, the quality of the grape skin is a primary concern as that component brings the tannins, colour and intensity of flavor to the wine. The process of desiccation not only concentrates the juices within the grape but also increases the skin contact of the grapes. The drying process further metabolizes the acids within the grape and creates a polymerization of the tannins in the skin which contribute to the overall balance of the finished wine.The length of the drying process is typically 120 days. The most evident consequence of this process is the loss of weight: 35 to 45% for Corvina grapes, 30 to 40% for Molinara and 27 to 40% for Rondinella. Following drying, end of January/beginning of February, the grapes are crushed and go through a dry low temperature fermentation process which can last up to 30/50 days. After fermentation, the wine is then aged initially in stainless steel tanks and successively in small barrels, from 20 to 50 hectoliters.

Oak Ageing

Time: 12 Months
Type: Slavonian Tonneaux
% wine oaked: 40 to 60
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

Intense garnet-red. With a delightful bouquet, which is intense and persistent with cherry hints. Velvety, slightly bitter, with cherry and bitter almonds.

Food Matching

Pairs brilliantly with red meat and game.

Awards

Berliner Wine Trophy 2023
Berliner Oro - Gold Medal