Ca' La Bionda Casal Vegri Valpolicella (75cl, 13.5%)

A Valpolicella Classico from Ca' La Bionda in Veneto, made from 70% Corvina, 20% Corvinone and 10% Rondinella. The Casal Vegri bottling comes from a single site where the estate makes no Amarone selection, so the finest fruit goes into this wine. Grapes are destemmed and fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, then aged for 18 months, with 90% in traditional 3,000-litre botti and 10% in barrique. The nose opens with bright red cherries and fresh violets, moving into licorice, dried rose petals and crushed stone. The palate is taut, with morello cherry, sour cherry and vivid limestone acidity, broadening into dried currant and tart blue fruit. The finish is stony and spiced, with balsamic herbs, black olive and smoke.