Valpolicella Classico Ripasso 2021 La Bionda Organic

Nutritional information per 100 ml

Contains negligible amounts of fat, saturates, protein and salt.

Only grapes from Campo Casal Vegri are used for this Valpolicella. The mixture of clay and limestone gives the wine finesse and elegance.

La Bionda

In the heart of the original Valpolicella Classico area, in the municipality of Marano, lies the estate of brothers Alessandro and Nicola Castellani. Several years ago, they took over from their father and undertook fundamental changes and renewal. Where quantity once tended to take priority, the young brothers now focus on uncompromising quality through drastically reduced production.

At Ca’ La Bionda, only the indigenous varieties Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara are grown across 30 ha. The vineyards face almost entirely east and lie between 150 and 300 metres above sea level. Calcareous soils with marine sediments give the wines remarkable minerality, underlined by a lightly saline finish. Hand-picking is taken for granted here. Grapes for Amarone and Recioto are harvested separately from those destined for Valpolicella. To avoid any damage that might reduce quality during drying, the grapes are gathered in small baskets holding 5 to 7 kg. They are then dried until the end of January or beginning of February, losing around 40 % of their weight. The Valpolicella grapes are generally harvested two weeks later. In keeping with biodynamic viticulture, the Castellanis use gravity and avoid pumps to preserve the wine’s natural character. Stainless-steel tanks and large wooden casks are used for temperature-controlled maceration. Apart from the “simple” Valpolicella, all wines mature in holm oak casks with capacities of 3,000, 500 and 225 l. Natural yeasts and the avoidance of fining, stabilisation and filtration demonstrate that Ca’ La Bionda is an exceptional Valpolicella producer.