Risk And Transcendent Reward: Quintarelli
by Tom Wolf
Risk And Transcendent Reward: Quintarelli
by Tom Wolf
All good wine is the result of extraordinary transformation, but there is arguably no vinous alchemy more singular and spellbinding than the appassimento winemaking of azienda Giuseppe Quintarelli, just east of Lake Garda.
Translated to “drying,” appassimento refers to the ancient process whereby grapes are harvested and—rather than immediately pressed and fermented—left to dry on wooden racks so that some water evaporates and the grapes’ sugars concentrate. Quintarelli, for instance, dries their Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot for the monumental Alzero bottling from harvest until mid-December. For the Amarone, they let their Veronese blend of primarily Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella air out until January. In both cases, after the grapes are sufficiently dried, they are finally pressed, then slowly macerate and ferment in the family’s cold cellar.
The Valpolicella and Rosso Ca del Merlo—the 2008 below from our cellar collection—feature roughly the same blend of grapes as the Amarone, but they are, unlike the other two wines, pressed immediately after harvest. Still, in February, these wines do take a fairly unusual step, when they start a second fermentation with the pomace of the Amarone in a process called ripasso.
All four of these wines age in large barrels for seven years, a relative eternity during which profound depth, structure, and a mesmerizing range of flavors form. When they are finally bottled, the results are dry reds that retain freshness and poise, while delivering epic complexity and power.
While the ancient drying techniques practiced at Quintarelli (and throughout Verona) pose risks—too much power and richness—the Quintarellis have utterly mastered them, bending the risks into the most transcendent rewards, often emotional experiences in and of themselves, and some of the greatest red wines in the world.
Wines In The Collection
Giuseppe Quintarelli Italy | Veneto
With a beautiful aroma of toasted hazelnuts, and tannins that are now silky smooth and polished to perfection, this stylish wine invites you to dive in right away.
Giuseppe Quintarelli Italy | Veneto
**Extremely limited quantities, maximum three bottles per purchase.**
Giuseppe Quintarelli Italy | Veneto
Quintarelli’s dry Amarone is the grandest expression of the Veronese hills, a full-bodied, kaleidoscopic wine, to be enjoyed with fine roasts and cheeses.
Giuseppe Quintarelli Italy | Veneto
Fresh and vibrant, bursting with every imaginable fruit, ripe off the tree.
Italy | Veneto
With a beautiful aroma of toasted hazelnuts, and tannins that are now silky smooth and polished to perfection, this stylish wine invites you to dive in right away.
Italy | Veneto
**Extremely limited quantities, maximum three bottles per purchase.**
Italy | Veneto
Quintarelli’s dry Amarone is the grandest expression of the Veronese hills, a full-bodied, kaleidoscopic wine, to be enjoyed with fine roasts and cheeses.
Italy | Veneto
Fresh and vibrant, bursting with every imaginable fruit, ripe off the tree.
More Collections
Opening Our Cellar Doors
Like a portal to another dimension, December is the time of year when our cellar doors open. And this year, the stars have aligned for them to open not just for a few days, but the entire month. Yes, all month long we’ll release aged wines from across our portfolio, including Domaine Tempier, Les Pallières, Vieux Télégraphe, Mas Champart, Quintarelli, and Robert Chevillon, to name just a few…
Holiday Gift Shop
As is tradition here at Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, we’ve made it easy to celebrate together—whether in person or in spirit!
Annual Dessert Wine Sale
Gingerbread cookies, yule logs, pumpkin pies…Sauternes, Banyuls, Muscat…Whether you prefer your treats baked or fermented, no holiday meal is complete without the final flourish of dessert. Now through the end of December, 20% off per bottle!
Champagne & Sparkling Sale
Now through the end of the year, take 20% off all Champagne & Sparkling Wine. Whether your bubbly of choice is a luxurious and elegant Champagne, a rich yet mineral Vouvray Brut, a versatile Italian Prosecco, or an aromatic Alsatian Crémant, our annual Champagne & Sparkling Sale offers all of these and many more toast-worthy bottles for every occasion.
Elegant, Terroir-Transparent Champagnes
It had been many years since we introduced you to a new selection of ours from the Champagne region—not for lack of trying! In 2023, we finally found what we had been looking for in the small Champagne village of Écueil, on the Montagne de Reims, in the cellars of Nicolas Maillart…
New Arrivals
Here is a collection of recent arrivals. Every week, we’ll be adding a dozen or more new arrivals, so check back often for your favorite classics or new discoveries!
Samplers for the Holidays
If you find yourself especially busy this time of year, without an abundance of time to carefully study every bottle before you buy, our latest collection of curated sampler packs offers a quick and easy way to discover new wines in categories that you already know and enjoy...
The Carpe Vinum Collection
An ever-changing offering of wines that are just about to sell out; one last opportunity to seize a range of selections before they disappear from our shelves forever.
50th Anniversary Merchandise
When the esteemed French wine artist Michel Tolmer created beautiful artwork for our 50th anniversary, we knew right away that we had to feature it on a few select items of merch. After spending maybe a little too much time researching the options, we landed on a classy, leather-strap cap, a comfortable t-shirt made from 100% cotton, and a tote made with incredibly sturdy, fair-trade, and organic cotton by a certified B corp that invests in the livelihoods of women and farmers of India, featuring three wine sleeves and two other compartments for all of your other needs!
Recent Wine Club Selections
Our five wine clubs feature our best values from France and Italy as well as complex and cellar-worthy wines.
