Antica Cantina 1818 • Valpolicella Vittorio Amá Is a Native of Fumane, One of the Five Villages That Constitutes the Classico Zone of Valpolicella

Antica Cantina 1818 • Valpolicella Vittorio Amá is a native of Fumane, one of the five villages that constitutes the Classico zone of Valpolicella. A lifelong farmer and protector of 1930s Corvina and Rodinella, he never intended to make his own wine. A little push along the way from friend Walter Porasso (formerly of Bovio, now Renzo Seghesio), saves the family heirloom. We began the Antica Cantina project with Vittorio and Walter in 2012. If you want to learn about classic grapes, the Loire Valley is a good place to start. If you want to see what a cellar looked like 60 years ago, check-out Cornas, then head over to Alto Piemonte. If you want to experience how an old wine evolves from sweet to savory, Rioja has your back. If you want a lesson in texture, come to Valpolicella. Corvina is the royal grape of Valpolicella wines because it has flavor enhancer genes which remain active during the drying process (versus other grapes, whose genes become dormant). We associate Valpolicella with wines made from dried grapes, that's fine, but there are also loads of zesty, lighter styles of wine made from the fresh and plump berries. Valpolicella received its name from the Latin phrase "Vallis Polis Cellae" - the Valley of Many Cellars. From the slopes of Negrar, Marano di Valpolicella, Fumane, Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella to the flatter area of San Pietro in Cariano, the name keeps its provenance today, as grapevines have adapted to their singular terroir and producers have developed their individual style. Italian wine law regulates five different styles of Valpolicella. The scale begins with wines made from fresh grapes, fermented into dry red wines with lower alcohol, then continues onto wines made from dried grapes fermented into seemingly dry red wines with more alcohol (and residual sugar), and ends with the sweetest, dessert-style wines. Increased measures of alcohol and sugar affect the texture of the wine, and texture affects our most indulgent senses, taste and touch. Instead of 2^2, the big picture is 5^5. Luckily for us, we get to drink the scale and discover red wines for many moods and feasts. We met Vittorio Amá by way of our relationships in Piedmont. We have always been a fan of Valpolicella and cut our teeth with the greats. When we think of "small grower-producer" Valpolicella is rarely the first place that comes to mind, a region dominated by big brands, big production, and a big misunderstanding. Vittorio has farmed his Corvina, Rodinella, and less than an acre of Negrara for 40 years. The vines, never exposed to a man-made chemical, are a farmer's market bliss. With the assistance of cellar maestro Walter Porasso, we collaborated with Vittorio to create Antica Cantina 1818. Every year, we decide which styles of Valpolicella performed the best in their vintage. Whether it's the slick and tangy Classico, the embossed wallpaper of a Ripasso, or the rivetingly textural Amarone, you can have your Valpolicella, however you like it. The Wines of AC 1818 Valpolicella Classico Valpolicella Classico Ripasso Amarone della Valpolicella Classico.

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