“I can only describe this rare and brilliant take on Cabernet Franc as Cheval Blanc on steroids…”
–Sergio

Giuseppe Quintarelli—“the Master of the Veneto”—crafts some of the most highly regarded and sought-after bottlings in the wine collector’s realm, pursuing an uncompromising protocol that precludes him from producing Amarone in vintages beneath his standards. A staunch traditionalist, Quintarelli continues to adhere to the traditional techniques of his father and grandfather. These are not discernible in the wine’s character, given the intense richness he derives through extended cask maturation and his fastidious regard for details, practicing a form of rigorous grape selection that rivals that of the great châteaux of Sauternes.

IWM’s Sergio Esposito has confessed that he remains at a loss as to how Quintarelli does that thing he does—namely, the crafting of life-altering wines that induce impassioned states in wine enthusiasts of all persuasions. Quintarelli once told Sergio that the most integral element in a winemaker’s approach is patience—a virtue that is practically obsolete in the realm of the modern winemaker. While Sergio entertained the possibility that patience might be the method to the Master’s majesty, he concluded that Quintarelli’s wines simply can’t be rationalized. Patience, however, is necessary when encountering these expressions: “They are thinking wines, meaning that they force you to reflect.  Nothing else even comes close. You may confuse a Giacomo Conterno Monfortino with a Bartolo Mascarello Barolo...[and] a California Cabernet with a first-growth Bordeaux, but once you taste Quintarelli you’ll never forget.”

While all of Quintarelli’s wines are sought with fervent ardor, perhaps none is quite so charged as the quest undertaken for Alzero, Quintarelli’s hedonistic contribution to the cult genre. This intense pursuit is, in part, inspired by the rarity of a pure expression of Cabernet Franc (Alzero’s predominant form) as well as the nature of the interpretation itself. While Cabernet Franc is treated as a monovarietal by producers from various regions, it is more typically found in blends inspired by the wines of Bordeaux’s Right Bank; indeed, Alzero frequently merits comparison to the famous Cheval Blanc (it’s not so much a likeness, though, as a fascinating anomaly whose nature only bears comparison to some of the legends, despite the inadequacy of the corollation.

Setting aside the intrigue of Franc’s appearance in a solo context, however, we’re left with a wine of prodigious proportions—an amplitude derived from old vines and the use of the appassimento technique—drying of the grapes in single layers upon straw or plastic mats for 60 to 100 days—the same process used in the crafting of Amarone. The maturation of the wine in small French barrique—Quintarelli’s sole use of this medium—further enriches the wine’s dimensions. Flamboyantly unctuous, the typical Alzero is a tantalizing production that exudes a copious  profusion of raisins and figs, cassis jam, chocolate, coffee, spices, and minerality on the palate. While it seems to style itself in the image of a Port, it remains a thoroughly unique and unclassifiable expression—inexplicably delivering only the slightest suggestion of sweetness. While Alzero is often irresistible upon release, it also rewards the exercise of restraint. Initially its structure may be subtly delineated, yet its dimensions become more apparent with age, supporting an evolution that spans two decades.