VIA Verona 2025 Guided Tasting with VIA Faculty: Session Two

Sarah Heller was back in the spotlight, joined by Andrea Lonardi MW, Vice President of the Consorzio per la Tutela dei Vini Valpolicella. Together they led the second VIA Tasting Session for students, covering the various types of texture in white wines and dark fruited reds from the north, with another 30 wines being tasted and assessed.

As the tasting began, Sarah emphasized the importance of structure in identifying Italian wines. She described wines with tannins, acidity, and texture as "hard", while wines with more body, more sugar, and more alcohol are considered "soft". Balance is found between the concepts of hard and soft. Sarah gave the students more descriptors for structure, such as too hard, too soft, too warm, good tension, well balanced. She explained that making accurate observations is key to success on the VIA exam. She assured students that, if the identification guess for the blind wine is logical, based on the observations and notes made, students will get marks even if the identification is not exactly correct.

The white wines today provided another calibration tasting, focused primarily on texture and structure, but looking closely at specific grape varieties with the last six wines. Sarah reminded students not to rely on the descriptor "mineral". She gave them more words to substitute, including ashes, ozone, iodine, gun flint.

Wines tasted:

Cave Mont Blanc: Vallée d’Aosta DOP Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle 2023  was clean, fluid, watery with a low level of texture.

Suavia: Soave DOC Classico "Monte Carbone" 2022  had a low to medium level of chalkiness with some friction.

Pala: Vermentino di Sardegna DOC "Soprasole" 2023  was typical with a medium oily texture with some friction, almost waxy.

Angelo Negro: Roero DOCG Arneis "Serra Lupini" 2023  was creamy with a high level of texture, slippery, lubricating, lots of volume, low acidity.

I Favati: Greco di Tufo DOCG "Terrantica" 2022  was characteristic,oily, with volume, but tight on the back end, quite vertical structure.

Gravner: Venezia Giulia IGT Ribolla Gialla 2016  was grippy and grainy, described by Andrea as "a red white wearing an orange coat".

Bibi Graetz: Toscana IGT Bianco "Casamatta" 2023  made with Ansonica, was waxy, not grippy.

Villa Matilde Avallone: Falerno del Massico DOP Bianco 2024  made with Falanghina, was lean and light, floral, with alow to medium chalky texture.

Tenuta Ulisse: Terre d’Abruzzo IGP Pecorino 2024  was medium oily with enough acidity to keep it from being creamy, thiol driven, Sauvignon Blanc style.

Masciarelli: Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC Superiore "Castello di Semivincoli" 2022  was medium waxy with some friction but still supple.

Bio Vio: Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC Pigato "Bon in d Bon" 2023  was salty, saline, mineral with a hint of anise.

Cantine Lunae Bosoni: Colli di Luni DOC Vermentino "Etichetta Grigia" 2024  was medium oily, medium acidity, medium body with notes of brine, acacia, peach, herbs and floral.

Grattamacco: Bolgheri DOC Vermentino 2023

Capichera: Vermentino di Gallura DOCG Superiore "Vign Angena"  had a high level of oily texture, with good tension between brine, acid and fullness, well balanced.

Decugnano Dei Barbi: Orvieto DOC Classico Superiore "Mare Antico" 2022  had a restrained nose and med chalky tannins.

Feudo Montoni: Terre Siciliane IGT Inzolia "Fornelli" 2023

The red wines began with four from Valpolicella. Andrea Lonardi is the Vice President of the Consorzio and he was able to address the story of style change. He said that, in the past, everyone in Valpolicella believed "We are Venetians. We are commercial. We want to make money". These perceptions kept the older styles of wines from the region more alcoholic and full bodied due to consumer preferences for this heavy style of wine. Now there is a movement toward a lighter, easy drinking, spicy, fresher style, as represented by the first wine, Speri's Valpolicella DOC Classico 2023, made with Corvina, which Andrea described as a mix of Syrah and Pinot Noir, with crunchy tannins, pepper, and fresh red fruit. Corvinone is the Cabernet Franc of the region, with a more rustic character, more purple fruit and notes of bell pepper. There is a lot of change taking place in the blending now. Rondinella is the grape that brings floral notes to the blend and is being used carefully now.

Andrea also commented that Ripasso is in transition, not being made so sweet anymore. Amarone is also changing from the assertive classic style to a leaner nature with hints of salt. He would like to see Valpolicella wines reflect their terroir more, which is definitely the way the new styles are moving.

Another recent trend is what Andrea calls "Pinosophy", referring to current consumer preference for sheer, light bodied red wines based on red fruits. There is also a trend towards Alpine Wines, which are edgy with a complex nose, darker colored, peppery but light on the palate with diffused tannins.

Wines tasted:

Speri: Valpolicella DOC Classico 2023  was lean, light, peppery and saline.

Tedeschi: Valpolicella DOC Superiore "Maternigo" 2021  was made with some dried grapes and had a bitterness in the finish.

Villa Spinosa: Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Classico Superiore 2021  with a nose of saline, red fruit, chocolate and bitter cherry.

Allegrini: Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico 2020  is looking toward the new style, more corvinone, vegetal notes.

Les Crêtes: Valle d'Aosta DOC Fumin,  purple with medium tannins, fine and powdery.

La Viarte: Friuli Colli Orientali DOC Schioppettino di Prepotto Riserva 2015  had medium pebbly tannins with a rigid quality, with a pink peppercorn note.

Volpe Pasini: Friuli Collio Orientali DOC Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso "Zuc di Volpe" 2013  had a medium level of gritty, grainy, sandy rigid tannins.

Kellerei Terlan: Alto Adige DOC Lagrein,  less purple in color, suede-like tannins and blueberry notes.

Fondazione Mach: Teroldego Rotaliano DOC  was dark fruited with grainy leathery tannins.

Braida: Barbera d'Asti DOCG "Monte Bruna" 2021  had a lactic quality with soft acidity and sticky tannin.

G.D. Vajra: Dolcetto d’Alba DOC 2023  was sheer purple

Velenosi: Lacrima di Morra d’Alba DOC "Villa Angela" 2022  was very intensely aromatic, notes of medicinal herbs and good medium acidity.