TASTING NOTES:
“The top pick from the company's extensive range is an Amarone which favors vibrancy and finesse over sheer power. Sourced from high sites in the Classico zone and aged in traditional Slavonian oak barrels, it has enticing fruit and floral complexity, and a super-refined palate with a long, toothsome finish.”
- Decanter, 96 pts.
WINEMAKERS NOTES:
History, tradition, and quality are the first words that come to mind when someone hears "Santa Sofia". Their historic cellars are underground, beneath a villa that is among UNESCO's world heritage sites. The roots of the winery reach back to the mid-15th century and has continued to evolve over the years, while keeping the estates motto in mind - "Strategy of excellence" - as Giancarlo likes to call it. Santa Sofia has been recognized as a pillar of quality and farming practices in the Valpolicella region since the mid 1800's, although it wasn't until the mid-1960's they started to bottle and label their wines as their own.
Now in the 3rd generation of family wine making, Santa Sofia was one of the very first estates to go against the trends of the region and produce wines of great finesse, elegance, and purity of fruit that remains true to the soil of their vineyards. Giancarlo decides to age his Amarone a minimum of 5 years in large Slovenian oak (almost two and a half years more than the DOCG requirement), before additional aging the in the bottle. Their vineyards reach elevations as high as 500 meters above sea level, and a strict hand selection process of the grapes ensures only the highest quality of fruit is bought back to the cellar. Santa Sofia's wines have been internationally recognized for many years as a benchmark in the Valpolicella region, and they show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
A dark, almost inky ruby red colour with rich garnet hues. Bold yet delicate on the nose, it is redolent of ripe cherries, cassis and prunes; hints of milk chocolate, rhubarb and balsamic mentholated tobacco also come through, creating an exquisitely refined, harmonious and elegant bouquet. Tonic and juicy on the palate, it is a ripe, full-bodied wine with extremely lively tannins; an invigorating citrus note perfectly balances its high alcohol and helps make this big wine a most enjoyable drink.
