2018 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG

Regular price $419.98

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What is there to say about Quintarelli? Isn’t it enough just to say the name itself? Valpolicella’s answer to Alfredo Prunotto or Domaine Romanée-Conti, Quintarelli is arguably the first and last word in the region, the flag-carrier of Amarone, and the area’s most powerful claim to first-rank worth and prestige in the area.

It all started in 1924, when Silvio Quintarelli, who had been cultivating vines in a mezzadria (a form of sharecropping) elsewhere in Valpolicella, founded his own winemaking company in the reputable village at the heart of Valpolicella Classica, Negrar. The winery trundled on peaceably well, and when the time came in 1954 control of it passed to his son, Giuseppe, and nothing would ever be the same again.

Over six decades, Giuseppe Quintarelli would become the most famous and succesful winemaker in the history of Valpolicella, a genuine icon, who inspired generations of winemakers (including his longtime apprentice, Romano Dal Forno, now famous for his own eponymous brand).

What was Quintarelli’s secret? The altitude undoubtedly helps, avoiding the valley fog and helping the organic-only vines gain maximum sun exposure. It’s also true that Quintarelli age their wine in oak on average for longer than anyone else in the region (in general at least 8 years). But if it’s anything it must be the near-fanatical attention to detail and refusal to lower standards. Only 13 hectares are under vine, producing only 60,000 bottles a year – and that’s if they even produce, given Giuseppe’s notorious habit of not even releasing a vintage if he deemed it not up to scratch. Other secrets? They will have to remain secret – Quintarelli do not even have a website, let alone anywhere to spill their jealously-guarded secrets.

Shipping Policy

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Unless your delivery address is on the West Coast, we strongly discourage you from selecting “Ground Service” as your shipping method. During the winter and summer months, weather conditions (temperature) and longer delivery times can often result in the spoilage of your order. It doesn’t make sense to invest in fine wines and then take the chance of ruining them due environmental factors during transit (faster and safer delivery generally isn’t much more expensive). We don’t make an additional profit on accelerated delivery, but we frequently recommend faster shipping options to our customers outside the West Coast.
You must be 21 years of age to order or receive alcoholic beverages. Any shipments containing alcoholic beverages are sent with an “Adult Signature Required” sticker, and the common carrier that delivers our merchandise is required to ask and check for identification upon delivery. This means that an adult will have to be present at the time of delivery. Please consider shipping to an office address.
During periods of extreme weather, we attempt to ship wines at the beginning of each week in order to get shipments to you before the weekend. This is because we have no control over the temperature conditions at our freight carriers’ warehouses. The result may be that your shipment doesn’t go out the day that you place an order.
We ship by Fedex or Fedex Ground. Our prices include packaging materials. Insurance may be available for an additional charge.
Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. will arrange for shipment on behalf of the buyer, to an address specified by the buyer, provided that Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. in its sole judgment believes that such shipment will not subject Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. to the risk of any sort of legal action or other harm. If a buyer lives in a state where the direct shipment of wine by Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. violates the law, we suggest that the buyer provide an alternative address in another state or have their wine shipped to a third-party storage facility in a direct shipping-friendly state.
Various states impose limitations on the quantity of alcoholic beverages that may be purchased and brought into their jurisdiction by a purchaser from another state without requiring the purchaser, a seller or shipper to possess certain licenses or permits. Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. does not, as a condition of sale, assume any obligation nor bear any responsibility whatsoever for applying or obtaining any permits or licenses. Therefore, we recommend that you investigate the possibility of such limitations, and determine the manner in which alcoholic beverages shall be brought into your state from California, so as to comply with all of your state’s requirements.
Wine shipping rules in the United States are controlled by the state you live in. We do not ship wine to the following states at this time: