If one is to speak of Giuseeppe Quintarelli, it must be done on a different level. After 60 years at the helm of the family winery, Giusseppe succeeded in transforming his 11 hectares of vineyard into something remarkable. Located in Negrar, one of the most significant areas in the heart of Valpolicella Classico (in northern Italy), this winemaker discovered that beyond the fresh and fluid reds produced in the region, he could craft exceptional wines with greater body and structure. Today, the winery is managed by his daughter Fiorenza, his son-in-law Giampaolo, and his grandchildren, yet the philosophy remains unchanged, producing wines like Quintarelli Primofiore.
Quintarelli Primofiore is an Amarone red, crafted under the I.G.P. Veneto, where Italy and France blend in equal measure: on one side, corvina and corvinone; on the other, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. All these varieties thrive in the western part of Veneto, where the finest terroirs are found on calcareous soils—of volcanic origin, rich in minerals and highly fertile—and under cold winters and hot, humid summers.
After meticulous care, the grapes are harvested and left to dry for a month in wooden crates. This process, known as appassimento, aims to dry the grapes and increase their sugar content before fermentation begins. After pressing, Quintarelli Primofiore is placed in fermentation tanks where yeasts will transform it into wine through alcoholic fermentation. Once this process is completed, Quintarelli Primofiore undergoes aging for one year in Slavonian oak barrels.
In 2019, the Amarone della Valpolicella wines ranked as the second most expensive wines in Italy (only surpassed by Brunello di Montalcino), but it is certain that a red like this is priceless. Who can assign a cost to such pleasure?